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416 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Roots of people living in the UK
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Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia, and the Carribean
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When Hugenots came to Britain
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16th & 18th centuries
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Who were the Hugenots
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They were French Protestants
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Why did the Hugenots come to Britain
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To escape religious persecution in Europe
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When was the famine in Ireland
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mid-1840s
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Migrants from Ireland after the potato famine worked as...
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labourers building canals and railways
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Jewish people came to Britain to escape pogroms when?
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1880-1910
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Jewish people came to Britan to escape pogroms from these countries
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The Russian Empire, and Poland, Ukraine, and Belarus
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Pogroms were...
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racist attacks against jewish people
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The second world war lasted from
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1939-1945
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After WW2, the British Government...
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encouraged workers from Ireland and other parts of Europe to come to the UK and help with reconstruction.
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When did the British govt invite people from the West Indies to come and work?
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1948
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The UK's post-WW2 labor shortage lasted until...
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The 1950s
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How did the UK recruit foreign labor in the 1950s from the West Indes?
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centres set up to recruit bus drivers
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How did the UK recruit foreign labor in the 1950s from India and Pakistan?
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Textile and engineering firms sent agents
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For 25 years starting in the 1950s...
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people from the West Indes, India, Pakistan, and later Bangladesh, travelled to work and settle in Britain
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The UK government passed new laws to restrict immigration when?
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In the 1960s and early 70s
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These countries did not face strict UK immigration controls
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the "old" commonwealth countries, such as Australia, New Zealand, and Canada
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Thousands of people of Indian origin who were forced to leave Uganda...
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they were accepted by the UK in 1972.
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A programme to help people from Vietnam...
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...was introduced in the late 1970s
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Since 1979, more than this number of refugees from South East Asia were allowed to settle in the UK.
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25,000
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Since this date, more than 25,000 refugees from South East Asia were allowed to settle in the UK
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1979
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The largest immigrant groups came from the US, Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand during this decade.
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1980s
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In the 1980s, the largest immigrant groups came from
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the US, Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand.
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In the early 1990s...
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groups of people from the former Soviet Union came to Britain looking for a new and safer way of life.
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Since this date, there has been a global rise in mass migration for both political and economic reasons
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1994
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In 19th-century Britain, families...
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were usually large, and in many poorer homes men, women and children all contributed toward the family income.
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In 19th century Britain, women...
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had fewer rights than men, although they made an important economic contribution.
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Until this date, a married woman could not divorce her husband.
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1857
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Until this date, a married woman's earnings and property automatically belonged to her husband.
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1882
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In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, more women started to
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campaign and demonstrate for greater rights, particularly the right to vote.
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Women who campaigned for the right to vote:
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suffragettes
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Protests aimed at giving women the right to vote decreased during...
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World War 1, because many women joined in the war effort.
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What notable legislation was passed at the end of the first world war?
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Women gained the right to vote if they were over the age of 30, as well as to stand for election to parliament
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When did women gain the right to vote at the same age as men?
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1928
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Women used to face discrimination in the workplace, such as
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being asked to leave their jobs when they got married.
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Pressure for women's rights increased during
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the 1960s and 1970s
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After increasing pressure for women's rights, parliament passed laws...
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giving women equal pay and prohibiting employers from discriminating against women on the basis of sex
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What percentage of the population and workforce in Britain today are women?
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51% of the population, and 45% of the workforce
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Today, compared to boys, girls leave school
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with better qualifications
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Are there more women or men at universities in the UK today?
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more women
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Today, women tend to be employed in...
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traditional female areas such as health care, teaching, secretarial and retail work, but there is strong evidence that this is changing
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Very few people in Britain today believe that women should...
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stay at home and not go out to work
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Today, almost [_____] of women with school age children are in paid work.
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3/4
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In most households, women...
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continue to have the main responsibility for childcare and housework.
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There is evidence that in homes, genders...
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are becoming more equal, with more men taking responsibility for raising the family and doing housework.
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Despite laws to prevent it, there are still examples of discrimination...
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against women in the workforce.
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The average hourly pay rate for women is...
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20% less than for men.
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Most women earn
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still less than men.
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In the uk, there are almost [_____] children and young people up to the age of 19.
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15 million, almost 1/4 of the UK population
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[__]% of children live with both birth parents.
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65
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[__]% of children live in lone-parent families.
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25
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[__]% of children live with a stepfamily
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10
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Most children in Britain receive...
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weekly pocket money from their parents and many get extra money for doing jobs around the house
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Over the last 20 years, family patterns in Britain have changed due to
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changing attitudes about divorce and separation
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Compared to the past, children in the UK do not
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play outside the home as much
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Why do children in the UK not play outside as much as in the past?
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increased home entertainment like TV, videos, and computers. Also, there is increased concern for children's safety and frightening stories about child molestation are often shown in newspapers, though there is no evidence that the danger is increasing.
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When they become adults, many young people [____], though this varies between communites.
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move away from home
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Children between the ages of X and Y must attend school, by law.
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5 and 16
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In England and Scotland, children take nationals tests in which subjects and at which ages?
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english, maths, and science, at the ages of 7, 11, and 14
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In Wales, at which ages are schoolchildren's progress assessed and when do they take a national test?
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teachers assess progress at ages 7 and 11 and a national test is taken at age 14
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what is the GCSE
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General Certificate of Secondary Education
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What is the SQA
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Scottish Qualifications Authority
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At what age do students take the GCSE or SQA
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16
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When are the AGCEs taken?
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age 17 or 18
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What does AGCE stand for
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Advanced General Certificate of Education
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What are AS-levels?
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Advanced Subsidiary qualifications
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What is the relative worth of AS-levels to ACGEs?
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Three AS-levels are worth 1/2 of an ACGE.
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What is the Scottish equivalent of AGCEs?
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AS-level units or Higher/Advanced Higher Grades
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Before allowing a student to enrol on an AGCE or Scottish Higher/Advanced Higher course, a school will expect...
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good GCSE or SQA Standard Grade results
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AGCEs used to be called...
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A-levels
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The traditional route for entry to higher education courses are ...
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AGCEs
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What fraction of young people now go on to higher education at college or university?
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one in three (1/3)
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Some young people defer their university education for a year, which is called taking a
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"gap year"
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define: "gap year"
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To defer university entrance for a year, and often to travel overseas, do volunteer work, or work and save for unversity.
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As an alternative to university people over 16 years old may...
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choose to study at Colleges of Further Education or Adult Education centres
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While still at school, it is common for young people to also...
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have a part-time job
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It is thought that at any one time, there are this many children at work.
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2 million
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The most common jobs for children are...
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newspaper delivery and work in supermarkets and newsagents.
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Children work part time because
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their parents believe that part-time work help children to become more independent as well as providing them with extra income
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Usually children cannot legally work before the age of...
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14
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Many parents worry that their children may
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misuse drugs and addictive substances
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Of school age children, do girls or boys smoke more?
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girls
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It is illegal to sell tobacco products to anyone under [____] years old. This law was introduced on [___]
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18 years old, 1 October, 2007
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In public buildings and workplaces throughout the UK, smoking is generally
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not allowed
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It is illegal to buy alcohol under the age of
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18
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"binge drinking" is
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drinking a lot of alcohol at one time.
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It is illegal to be drunk [____]
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in public. There are now more penalties to control this, including on-the-spot fines.
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Possessing drugs in the UK is
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illegal
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Illegal drugs in the UK include:
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heroin, cocaine, ecstasy, amphetamines, and cannabis.
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What percentage of young adults, and the entire population, have used illegal drugs at one point or another?
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1/2 of young adults, and about 1/3 of the entire population
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Hard drugs such as crack cocaine and heroin are linked to
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crime and mental illness
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How does the misuse of drugs affect Britain?
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it is a huge social and financial cost.
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The voting age in the UK is currently:
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18
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In the 2001 general election, what percent of young people who would be able to vote for the first time actually did?
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only 1 in 5
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Young people show [___] interest in party politics
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little
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Referring to politics, there is strong evidence that young people are interested in...
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specific political issues such as the environment and cruelty to animals.
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A 2003 survey of young people in England and Wales showed that they believe that the 5 most important issues in Britain were...
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crime, drugs, war/terrorism, racism, and health
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A 2003 survey of young people in England and Wales showed that what percentage of young people had taken part in some community event in over the past year, and what percentage had taken part in fund-raising or collecting money for charity?
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86% - community event, 50% - fundraising/charity. Similar results were found for Scotland and Northern Ireland
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Most children first get involved in fund-raising for charity or community events while...
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at school, where they study citizenship as part of the National Curriculum
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In 2005, the population of the UK was...
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just under 60 million people
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The population of the UK has grown by what percentage since 1971?
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7.7%
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What percentage of the UK population is England?
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84%
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What percentage of the UK population is Scotland?
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8%
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What percentage of the UK population is Wales?
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5%
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What percentage of the UK population is Northern Ireland?
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3%
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How many people live in England?
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50.1 million people
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How many people live in Scotland?
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5.1 million people
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How many people live in Wales?
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2.9 million people
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How many people live in Northern Ireland?
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1.7 million people
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Has the population of the UK increased or decreased in recent years?
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Increased
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Has the population of the UK increased everywhere in recent years?
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No, some areas such as the northeast and northwest of england have experienced a decline.
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In the UK, is the birth rate rising or falling? What about the death rate?
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Both are falling, so the UK now has an ageing population.
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As a result of the UK's ageing population, there are now more people over the age of X than children under Y
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more people over the age of 60 than children under 16
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In the UK there is a record number of people aged...
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85 and older
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define: census
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a count of the whole population
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a census includes statistics on
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age, place of birth, occupation, ethnicity, housing, health, and marital status
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The first census was in
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1801
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The census takes place every how many years?
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10
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When was the census skipped?
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During the second world war.
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The next census will take place in what year? (According to the text)
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2011
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True or false: the census is optional.
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False. The census is required to be completed by law.
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The data you enter on a census is public or private?
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Private, for 100 years.
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How is a census taken?
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Every household gets a form delivered with detailed information that they must fill out.
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Census information is used to ...
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identify population trends and help planning.
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What percentage of the UK population (in 2001) was white?
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92%
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How many white people were in the UK in 2001?
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54.2 million
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What percentage of the UK population is composed of ethnic minorities? (in 2001)
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8.3%
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How many people in the UK are ethnic minorities? (in 2001)
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4.6 million
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How many people of mixed ethnicity live in the uk (by percentage and number, in 2001)?
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0.7 million, or 1.2 percent
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How many people of Indian ethnicity live in the uk (by percentage and number, in 2001)?
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1.1 million, or 1.8%
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How many people of Pakistani ethnicity live in the uk (by percentage and number, in 2001)?
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0.7 million, or 1.3%
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How many people of Bangladeshi ethnicity live in the uk (by percentage and number, in 2001)?
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0.3 million, or 0.5%
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How many people of Other Asian ethnicity (excluding Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi) live in the uk (by percentage and number, in 2001)?
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0.2 million, or 0.4%
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How many people of Black Caribbean ethnicity live in the uk (by percentage and number, in 2001)?
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0.6 million, or 1.0%
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How many people of Black African ethnicity live in the uk (by percentage and number, in 2001)?
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0.5 million, or 0.8%
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How many people of Non-Caribbean, non-African Black ethnicity live in the uk (by percentage and number, in 2001)?
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0.1 million, or 0.2%
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How many people of Chinese ethnicity live in the uk (by percentage and number, in 2001)?
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0.2 million, or 0.4%
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How many people of Other ethnicity live in the uk (by percentage and number, in 2001)?
Other includes everyone who is not white, mixed, Asian, Black, or Chinese. |
0.2 million, or 0.4%
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What percentage of non-white citizens of the UK were born in the UK?
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about half
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What are the largest ethnic groups of white people in the UK?
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Irish, Italian, Greek, Turkish Cypriot, Polish, Australian, Canadian, New Zealand, and American.
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Since 2004, large numbers of white people have come to the UK from...
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new Eastern European member states of the EU.
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Although they make up only 9% of the total population, what percentage of ethnic minorities live in the london area? What percentage of the london area population do they contribute?
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45% live in london, where they form 29% of the population
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Aside from london, what areas of England have large ethnic minority populations?
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West Midlands, South East, the North West, and Yorkshire and Humberside.
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What percentage of the population of Wales is composed of ethnic minorities?
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2%
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What percentage of the population of Scotland is composed of ethnic minorities?
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2%
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What percentage of the population of Northern Ireland is composed of ethnic minorities?
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less than 1%
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The longest distance on the UK mainland is between which two points?
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John O'Groats on the north coast of Scotland and Land's End in the southwest corner of England.
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What is the longest distance across the UK mainland?
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870 miles (1400 km)
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Most of the UK's population live in
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towns and cities
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What are well known dialects in England?
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Geordie, Scouse, and Cockney
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Where is the Geordie accent from?
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Tyneside
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Where is the Scouse accent from?
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Liverpool
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Where is the Cockney accent from?
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London
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True or false: the English language has many accents and dialects.
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True
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True or false: only English is spoken in the UK.
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False. Many other languages are spoken, especially in multicultural cities.
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True or false: English sounds the same when spoken in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
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False. Each country has its own accents and dialects.
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The language of Wales is
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Welsh
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True or false: welsh is a dying language.
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False: an increasing number of people speak Welsh, and it is taught in schools.
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Gaelic is the language of
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Scotland
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In Northern Ireland, a few people speak...
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Irish Gaelic
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The old Scottish language is known as
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Scots
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One dialect spoken in Northern Ireland that was influenced by the old Scottish language is known as
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Ulster Scots
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The UK is historically a [____] society (in terms of religion)
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Christian
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In the 2001 census, what percentage of people said they were religious?
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just over 75%
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In the 2001 census, of religious people, how many said they were Christian?
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7/10
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What percentage of the population of the UK attend religious services?
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10%
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How do the countries of the UK compare in terms of attending religious services?
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More people attend in Scotland and Northern Ireland than in England and Wales.
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In london, the number of people who attend religious services is changing how?
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it is increasing
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What percentage of UK citizens have no religion?
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15.5%
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What percentage of UK citizens did not state whether they had a religion (in the 2001 census)
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7.3%
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What percentage of UK citizens are Muslim? (2001 census)
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2.7%
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What percentage of UK citizens are Hindu? (2001 census)
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1%
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What percentage of UK citizens are Sikh? (2001 census)
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0.6%
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What percentage of UK citizens are Jewish? (2001 census)
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0.5%
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What percentage of UK citizens are Buddhist? (2001 census)
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0.3%
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What percentage of UK citizens have some other religion? (not christian, muslim, hindu, sikh, jewish, or buddhist)
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0.3%
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What percentage of people claimed to have a religion, in the 2001 census?
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77.0%
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How are church and state related in England?
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They are constitutionally linked.
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What is the official state church of the country of England?
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the Church of England
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What is the Church of England called in other countries?
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The Anglican Church, or the Episcopal Church (in Scotland in the USA)
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When was the Church of England created?
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during the Reformation in the 1530s
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Who is the head of the Church of England, and what is his /her title?
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The King or Queen, and the title is "Supreme Governor"
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What are the limitations on who the King or Queen may marry?
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He/she may only marry a Protestant.
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What is the title of the spiritual leader of the Church of England?
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The Archbishop of Canterbury
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Who appoints the Archbishop of Canterbury?
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The monarch (King or Queen) has the right to select him, but the choice is usually made by the Prime Minister and a committee appointed by the Church.
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How does the Church of England participate in the English Government?
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Several bishops sit in the House of Lords.
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How are the Church and State related in Scotland?
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The church is free of state control.
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What is the national church of Scotland?
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Presbyterian
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What is the constitution of the Presbyterian Church (National church of Scotland)?
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It has no bishops and is governed for spiritual purposes by a series of courts.
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Who is the most senior representative of the national church of Scotland?
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the Moderator of the annual General Assembly
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What is the national church of Wales?
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there is none (TRICK QUESTION HAHA)
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What is the national church of Northern Ireland?
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There is none.
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Besides the Church of England, what are the other Protestant Christian groups represented in the UK?
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Baptists, Presbyterians, Methodists, and Quakers. 10% of Christians are Roman Catholic. (40% in Northern Ireland)
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define: patron saint
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the national saint of a country
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In the past, a patron saint's feast day was celebrated by...
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people having a day off work
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Of the countries in the UK, which still have a public holiday for they day of their patron saints?
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Only northern Ireland -- 17 March, for saint Patrick.
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What is the patron saint of Wales, and what is his holy day?
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St. David, 1 March
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What is the patron saint of Ireland, and what is his holy day?
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St. Patrick, 17 March
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What is the patron saint of England, and what is his holy day?
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St. George, 23 April
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What is the patron saint of Scotland, and what is his holy day?
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St. Andrew, 30 November
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What are some examples of festivals in the UK?
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the Notting Hill Carnival (west London) and the Edinburgh Festival.
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What are some customs and traditions from religions that are widely recognized in the UK?
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Eid ul-Fitr (Muslim), Diwali (Hindu), and Hanukkah (Jewish). Children learn about these in school.
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What are the main Christian festivals?
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Christmas and Easter.
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What is a non-religious tradition that is celebrated in the UK?
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New Year
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When is Christmas, and what does it celebrate?
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25 December, it celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ.
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How do Christians celebrate christmas?
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They go to church on Christmas Eve (24 dec) or or Christmas day.
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How do many people celebrate Christmas, even though they are not Christian?
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People spend the day at home, eat a special meal, give each other gifts, send each other cards, and decorate their houses. Many also decorate a tree.
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What mythical figure is associated with Christmas (mainly by young children)
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Father Christmas (or Santa Claus), who brings presents during the night.
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Describe Father Christmas
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he is depicted with a long white beard, dressed in red.
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When is Boxing day?
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Dec 26, the day after Christmas. It is a public holiday.
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How do people celebrate New Year?
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people usually celebrate on the night of 31 december.
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What is 31 december called in Scotland?
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Hogmanay
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What is Hogmanay?
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It is December 31, a holiday celebrated in Scotland. It is bigger for some people than Christmas. Jan 2 is also a holiday (associated with Hogmanay)
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What is Valentine's Day?
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14th February, when lovers exchange cards and gifts. Sometimes people send anonymous cards to people they secretly admire.
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What is April Fool's Day?
|
1 April, when people play jokes on each other until midday. Often newspapers and the telly carry fake stories to fool people.
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When is Mother's Day?
|
the Sunday 3 weeks before Easter. Children get cards or gifts for their mothers.
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What is Halloween?
|
31 October. It is a very ancient festival. Young people dress up in frightening costumes to play "Trick or treat". Sometimes people carry lanterns made out of pumpkins with a candle inside.
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What is Guy Fawkes day?
|
5 November, when people set off fireworks.
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What does Guy Fawkes day celebrate?
|
The thwarted plan of a group of Catholics led by Guy Fawkes in 1605 to kill the Protestant King with a bomb in the Houses of Parliament.
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When is Remembrance Day?
|
11 November
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What does Remembrance Day commemorate?
|
those who died fighting in WW1 and WW2, as well as other wars.
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What do people do on Remembrance Day?
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Wear poppies (a red flower) in memory of those who died, and observe a 2-minute silence at 11 A.M.
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What are some popular sports in the UK?
|
Football, tennis, rugby, and cricket.
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What large national teams are there for football and rugby?
|
England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own teams, but there is no UK team for either.
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What are some important sporting events in the UK?
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The Grand National horse race, the Football Association (FA) Cup final (and equivalents in Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales), the Open golf championship, and the Wimbledon tennis tournament.
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What is the form of the UK government?
|
Constitutional democracy
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What are the institutions that form the UK government?
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the monarchy, parliament, the office of the Prime Minister, the judiciary, the police, the civil service, and local government institutions
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How are Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland governed?
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devolved administrations were recently set up for each country.
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Some people would argue that the constitution of the UK government should also be considered to include...
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less formal institutions, such as the media and pressure groups
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The British constitution, unlike the constitutions of many other countries, is not...
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written down in any single document.
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Why is the British constitution not written in any single document?
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Because the UK has never had a lasting revolution, so the important institutions have been in existence for hundreds of years.
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Some people believe that the UK constitution should be codified in a single document, but others disagree, saying...
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that an unwritten constitution allows more scope for institutions to adapt to meet new circumstances and changing public expectation.
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The head of state of the UK is...
|
Queen Elizabeth II
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In addition to being head of state in the UK, the Queen is also
|
the monarch for many countries in the Commonwealth.
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The UK has a constitutional monarchy, like the countries...
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Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, and Sweden.
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In a constitutional monarchy, the King or Queen does what?
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The King or Queen does not rule the country, but appoints the government which the people have chosen in democratic elections.
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What are the King or Queen's main powers?
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to advise, warn, and encourage the Prime Minister, but decisions on government policies are made by the PM and Cabinet.
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The Queen has reigned since...
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her father's death in 1952
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The heir to the throne is...
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Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, who is the Queen's oldest son.
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example of the Queen's ceremonial roles
|
the opening of the new Parliamentary session each year
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How the Queen opens the Parliamentary session
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She makes a speech that summarises the government's policies for the year ahead.
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The number of parliamentary constituencies in the UK
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646
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The maximum time between parliamentary elections
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5 years
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The house of commons
|
all of the elected Members of Parliament (MPs)
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the two houses of parliament
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the House of Commons and the House of Lords
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Which political party forms the UK government?
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The party with the largest number of Members of Parliament.
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Most MPs belong to...
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a political party
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Which law regarding elections is so fundamental that no government has ever sought to change it?
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The law requiring new elections to parliament to be held at least every 5 years
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the only Bill to which the House of Lords must give consent
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a Bill to change the frequency of new elections to Parliament
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Why is the power of Parliament not actually lessened by the obligation to accept the rules of the EU?
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It is parliament itself that created the obligation.
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the more important of the two chambers of parliament
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the House of Commons
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how does one become an MP?
|
one must be democratically elected
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nowadays, the Prime Minister and almost all the members of the Cabinet are also
|
members of the House of Commons
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what is an MP?
|
a Member of Parliament
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responsibilities of an MP
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to represent everyone in their constituency, help create new laws, watch and comment on what the government is doing, and debate national issues
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although there must be a general parliamentary election every 5 years,...
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the Prime Minister can decide to hold one sooner
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when an MP dies
|
there will be a by-election in his/her constituency to elect a replacement
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the MP election system is
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"First past the post" -- the one with the most votes is elected
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whips
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a small group of MPs elected by their party leaders, who make sure MPs attend the House of Commons to vote. They are responsible for discipline.
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what does the Chief Whip do?
|
he/she often attends Cabinet or Shadow Cabinet meetings and arranges the schedule of proceedings in the House of Commons with the Speaker
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when are elections for European Parliament held?
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every 5 years
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how many representatives does the UK have in the European Parliament?
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78
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MEP
|
Member of European Parliament
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How European Parliamentary elections work
|
seats are allocated to each party in proportion to votes it recieved -- "proportional representation"
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components of the House of Commons Governing Party
|
Prime Minister
Ministers and members of the Cabinet Whips Other MPs |
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components of the House of Commons opposition and non-governing parties
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Leader of the Opposition
Shadow Ministers Whips Other MPs |
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what are members of the House of Lords called?
|
peers
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Until 1958, all members of the House of Lords...
|
were either hereditary, senior judges, or bishops of the Church of England
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before what date were all members of the house of lords hereditary, senior judges, or members of the Church of England?
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1958
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At what date did the Prime Minister gain the power to appoint Life Peers?
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1958
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Life Peer
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member of the House of Lords, appointed for his/her lifetime. They usually have had a distinguished career in politics, business, law, or some other profession.
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Debates in the House of Lords, compared to the House of Commons...
|
often draw on more specialized knowledge.
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Life peers are appointed by...
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the Queen on the advice of the Prime Minister, but they include people nominated by the leaders of the other main parties and by an independent Appointments Commission for non-party peers.
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in the last few years, hereditary peers have lost...
|
the automatic right to attend the House of Lords, although they are allowed to elect a few of their number to represent them.
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the more independent branch of Parliament
|
the House of Lords
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how are new amendments and laws created?
|
they are suggested by the House of Lords, then discussed in the House of Commons
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what can happen to a law that the House of Commons has voted on?
|
The House of Lords can stop it from passing, if a majority of its members agree
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What rarely-used power does the House of Commons have with respect to passing laws?
|
it can overrule the House of Lords's vetoing of a new law
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The Prime Minister appoints
|
the members of the Cabinet, as well as many other important public positions
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|
The official home of the Prime Minister
|
10 Downing Street, central London, near the Houses of Parliament.
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The Prime Minister's country house
|
"Chequers", not far from London
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The Prime Minister typically resigns when...
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his/her party is defeated in a general election
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The Prime Minister can be removed from office if
|
the governing party decides to do so
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how are departmental ministers put in office?
|
they are MPs appointed by the Prime Minister, there are about 20 of them
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examples of departmental Ministers
|
Chancellor of the Exchequer -- economy
Home Secretary -- law, order, and immigration Foreign Secretary Secretaries of State for education, health, and defense Lord Chancellor -- legal affairs |
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Lord Chancellor
|
minister responsible for legal affairs. A member of the Cabinet but sat in the House of Lords, not the House of Commons. Since 2005, may sit in the house of Commons
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Since when may the Lord Chancellor sit in the House of Commons?
|
2005
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What does the Cabinet do?
|
It usually meets weekly and makes important decisions about government policy, which are often then have to be debated or approved by parliament.
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The second largest party in the House of Commons
|
the Opposition
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One opportunity the Opposition party has to point out the government's failures
|
at Prime Minister's Questions which takes place every week while parliament is sitting.
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The shadow cabinet
|
Opposition MPs appointed by the Leader of the Opposition to lead criticism of government ministers.
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the Speaker
|
an MP, elected by fellow MPs to keep order during political debates and make sure the rules are followed
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|
this MP chairs debates in the House of Commons
|
the Speaker
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the Speaker guarantees that the Opposition has
|
a certain amount of time to debate issues it chooses.
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this MP represents parliament at ceremonial occasions
|
the speaker
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in the British system of parliamentary democracy, no special qualifications are required to stand for election as an MP (t/f)
|
true, but one is unlikely to win unless nominated to represent a major party
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the major political parties in the UK
|
Labour, Conservative Party, Liberal Democrats, and parties representing Scottish, Welsh, or Northern Irish interests.
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independent MPs
|
do not represent any political party
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|
political parties seek members among ordinary voters to
|
join debates, contribute to costs, and help at elections
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|
pressure groups
|
try to influence government policy
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|
|
examples of pressure groups
|
Confederation of British Industry, Consumers' Association, trade unions, Greenpeace, Liberty
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|
civil servants must be
|
politically neutral, regardless of who is in power
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|
when did the government begin a program of devolving power?
|
1997
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|
devolved UK government power structures
|
Welsh Assembly, Scottish Parliament, and Northern Ireland Assembly (sometimes)
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|
which policy and laws are not devolved to individual countries in the UK?
|
defence, foreign affairs, taxation, and social security.
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the system of allocating seats in the Scottish Parliament, Welsh Assembly, and Northern Irish Assembly
|
proportional representation, ensuring that each party gets seats in proportion to votes
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WAG
|
Welsh Assembly Government, or National Assembly for Wales
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|
the WAG is situated in
|
Cardiff, the capital of Wales
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|
the WAG has how many members?
|
60
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|
Elections to the WAG are held every X years
|
4
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|
WAG members can speak
|
either Welsh or English
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|
the WAG publications are all in what language?
|
both Welsh and English
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The Parliament of Scotland was formed in the year
|
1999
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|
the Parliament of Scotland sits in
|
Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland
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|
there are how many members of the Scottish Parliament?
|
129
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|
in the Scottish Parliament power is currently shared between
|
the Labor and Liberal Democrat parties
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|
the Scottish Parliament can pass laws regarding
|
civil and criminal matters, health, education, planning, and raising of additional taxes
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|
|
the Northern Ireland Parliament was originally established in
|
1922
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|
the original Northern Ireland Parliament was abolished in what year, after what event?
|
1972, after the Troubles broke out in 1969
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|
After the end of the Troubles, what was established in Northern Ireland?
|
The Northern Ireland Assembly
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|
the Northern Ireland Assembly has this many MLAs
|
108
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|
|
MLA
|
Member of the Legislative Assembly
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|
the Northern Ireland Assembly can make decisions about
|
education, agriculture, the environment, health, and social services
|
|
|
when can the Northern Ireland Assembly be suspended?
|
if the political leaders do not agree to work together or if it was not acting in the interests of Norther Ireland's people
|
|
|
the Northern Ireland Assembly is currently
|
suspended (in 2006, according to the text)
|
|
|
towns, cities, and rural areas in the UK are governed by
|
democratically elected councils, called local authorities
|
|
|
some areas have not a single local authority, but
|
district and county councils which have different functions
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|
|
london has X local authorities
|
33
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|
london is administered by
|
the Greater London Authority and the Mayor of London
|
|
|
Local authorities are required to provide
|
"mandatory services", including education, housing, social services, passenger transport, fire service, rubbish collection, planning, environmental health and libraries.
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|
|
Local authorities receive money from
|
government taxes, with about 20% coming locally through a council tax.
|
|
|
local elections for councillors are held
|
every year in May
|
|
|
many candidates stand for local council election as members of
|
a political party
|
|
|
these people interpret the law
|
judges
|
|
|
the judiciary
|
a term for all judges, who have the job of interpreting the law
|
|
|
the government may overrule judges in special cases (t/f)
|
false -- judges are free from government interference
|
|
|
t/f -- judges may not find the actions of the government illegal
|
false. If judges decide that the government has acted illegally, it must either change its policies or ask parliament to change the law.
|
|
|
these people are tasked with applying the Human Rights act
|
judges
|
|
|
who decides if a person is guilty or innocent of a serious crime?
|
a jury
|
|
|
who decides the penalty if a person is found guilty of a serious crime?
|
a judge
|
|
|
who decides guilt/innocence and penalty for less serious crimes?
|
a magistrate
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|
|
are police locally or nationally organized?
|
locally
|
|
|
there is one police service for each
|
county or group of counties
|
|
|
the largest police force in the UK is
|
the Metropolitan Police, which serves London and is based at New Scotland Yard
|
|
|
PSNI
|
the Police Service for Northern Ireland. They serve Northern Ireland as a whole
|
|
|
"operational independence"
|
a term applied to the police force, meaning that the government cannot instruct them how to pursue any particular case.
|
|
|
how can the government control the police?
|
police powers are limited by law, their finances are controlled by the government, and police authorities are made up of councillors and magistrates.
|
|
|
organizations for investigating serious complaints against police
|
the Independent Police Complaints Commission, or the Police Ombudsman in Northern Ireland
|
|
|
quango
|
non-departmental public body
|
|
|
what do quangos do?
|
they carry out functions on behalf of the public that would be inappropriate to place under the control of a cabinet minister
|
|
|
appointments to quangos are
|
made by ministers, but must be done in an open and fair way
|
|
|
parts of government under parliament
|
civil service
local government quangos pressure groups judiciary police devolved administrations |
|
|
to follow proceedings in parliament, one could turn to
|
digital television or official reports such as Hansard, which is available in large libraries and online
|
|
|
most people get info about political issues from
|
newspapers, telly, and radio
|
|
|
t/f the UK has a free press
|
true
|
|
|
t/f newspaper owners and editors try to influence government policy and public opinion
|
true
|
|
|
radio and telly coverage of political parties at election periods must be
|
balanced, with equal time given to rival viewpoints
|
|
|
the uk has been fully democratic since
|
1928, when women were allowed to vote at the same age as men (21 years old)
|
|
|
who can vote?
|
all UK-born and naturalised citizens, with a few exceptions like convicted prisoners. Also, citizens of the Commonwealth and Republic of Ireland can vote if they are resident in the UK.
|
|
|
to be able to vote, you must
|
have your name on the register of electors
|
|
|
to register to vote, contact
|
your local council election registration office
|
|
|
to find out who your local authority is, contact
|
the Local Government Association
|
|
|
The electoral register is updated
|
every year in September or October
|
|
|
How is the electoral register updated?
|
a registration form is sent to every household, which must be completed and returned with the names of everyone who is resident in the household and elegible to vote on 15 october
|
|
|
How is the electoral register updated in Northern Ireland?
|
individual registration -- each person gets his own registration form, and can stay on the register if his personal details do not change
|
|
|
who can look at a local authority's electoral register?
|
anyone, by law, although this must be supervised
|
|
|
where is the electoral register kept?
|
at each local electoral registration office (or council office in England and Wales). You can also see the register at some public buildings like libraries.
|
|
|
who can stand for public office?
|
Citizens of the UK, Irish Republic, or Commonwealth of age 18 or over, except members of the armed forces, civil service, and certain convicts.
|
|
|
which elections can members of the House of Lords stand for?
|
any position except member of the House of Commons
|
|
|
what are the requirements to become a local councillor?
|
one must have a connection to the local area through work, being on the electoral register, or by renting or owning land or property.
|
|
|
where can you find contact details for your elected representatives and their parties?
|
at your local library. Assembly members, MPSs, MPs and MEPs are also listed in the phone book and Yellow Pages
|
|
|
at a local "surgery" with an Assembly Member, MSP, MP, or MEP, what can you do?
|
go and talk about issues in person
|
|
|
The public can listen to debates in the Palace of Westminster in
|
both the House of Commons and the House of Lords
|
|
|
For tickets to visit the House of Commons or House of Lords,
|
you can write to your MP in advance to ask for tickets or queue on the day at the public entrance.
|
|
|
to view public debates, is it easier to get into the House of Commons or the House of Lords?
|
House of Lords
|
|
|
To visit the Northern Ireland Assembly, you should
|
contact the Education Service or contact an MLA
|
|
|
The Northern Ireland Assembly meets at
|
Stormfront, in Belfast
|
|
|
The Scottish Parliament meets at
|
Holyrood in Edinburgh
|
|
|
The Welsh Assembly meets in
|
the Senedd in Cardiff Bay
|
|
|
Commonwealth countries beginning with A
|
Antigua & Barbuda
Australia |
|
|
Commonwealth countries beginning with B
|
the Bahamas
Bangladesh Barbados Belize Botswana Brunei Darussalam |
|
|
Commonwealth countries beginning with C
|
Cameroon
Canada Cyprus |
|
|
Commonwealth countries beginning with D
|
Dominica
|
|
|
Commonwealth countries beginning with F
|
Fiji Islands
|
|
|
Commonwealth countries beginning with G
|
The Gambia
Ghana Grenada Guyana |
|
|
Commonwealth countries beginning with I
|
India
|
|
|
Commonwealth countries beginning with J
|
Jamaica
|
|
|
Commonwealth countries beginning with K
|
Kenya
Kiribati |
|
|
Commonwealth countries beginning with L
|
Lesotho
|
|
|
Commonwealth countries beginning with M
|
Malawi
Malaysia Maldives Malta Mauritius Mozambique |
|
|
Commonwealth countries beginning with N
|
Nauru
New Zealand Nigeria |
|
|
Commonwealth countries beginning with P
|
Pakistan
Papa New Guinea |
|
|
Commonwealth countries beginning with S
|
St. Kitts and Nevis
St. Lucia St. Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Solomon Islands South Africa Sri Lanka Swaziland |
|
|
Commonwealth countries beginning with T
|
Trinidad and Tobago
Tuvalu |
|
|
Commonwealth countries beginning with U
|
Uganda
UK United Republic of Tanzania |
|
|
Commonwealth countries beginning with V
|
Vanautu
|
|
|
Commonwealth countries beginning with Z
|
Zambia
|
|
|
number of countries in the commonwealth
|
53
|
|
|
Membership in the commonwealth is
|
voluntary, and the commonwealth has no power over its members although it can suspend membership
|
|
|
the EU was originally called
|
the European Economic Community (EEC)
|
|
|
EEC
|
the original name for the European Union: the European Economic Community
|
|
|
the EEC was set up by
|
six Western European countries who signed the Treaty of Rome
|
|
|
When was the Treaty of Rome signed?
|
25 March, 1957
|
|
|
When was the European Economic Community created?
|
25 March, 1957
|
|
|
What was the reason for the creation of the EEC?
|
cooperation between states in order to reduce the likelihood of another war
|
|
|
The UK joined the EU in the year
|
1973
|
|
|
Number of countries in the EU currently
|
27
|
|
|
how many countries joined the EU in 2004
|
10
|
|
|
the UK uses the Euro for currency, t/f
|
false. The UK will continue to use the pound unless the British people choose to accept the Euro in a referendum
|
|
|
Citizens of an EU member state have the right to
|
travel to and work in any EU member state if they have a valid passport or identity card.
|
|
|
EU citizens' right to travel and work anywhere in the EU can be restricted on the grounds of
|
public health, public order, and public security. The right to work is also sometimes restricted for citizens of countries new to the EU.
|
|
|
The EU is governed by
|
the Council of the European Union, usually called the Council of Ministers
|
|
|
The EU Council of Ministers is made up of
|
government ministers from each country in the EU.
|
|
|
How is the EU governed?
|
The European Parliament and European Commission recommend laws, which the Council of Ministers then pass. The C of M also makes the most important decisions about how the EU is run.
|
|
|
Children start secondary school at age
|
11
|
