Parliament | Edexcel A-Level Politics (9PL0)
Parliament
- 28 questions
- 3 subtopics
- Component 2: UK government
- Component 2
Covers the two chambers at Westminster: how each is composed, what powers each holds and why they are unequal, how a bill becomes law, and the means by which Parliament holds ministers to account..
It covers the structure and role of the Commons and Lords, the comparative powers of the two Houses and the legislative process and scrutiny of the Executive.
Sample questions from Parliament
Answer each one closed book first, then open the answer.
-
The structure and role of the Commons and Lords
What are the main functions of the House of Commons?
Show the answer
Representing constituents, making and passing legislation, scrutinising the executive, controlling finance/taxation, and sustaining the government (which must command its confidence). -
The structure and role of the Commons and Lords
What is the role of the Speaker of the House of Commons?
Show the answer
To chair debates impartially, enforce procedure, protect the rights of backbenchers and the opposition, and decide which amendments are selected. The Speaker gives up party allegiance on taking office. -
The comparative powers of the two Houses
What is the central debate about the relative power of the two Houses?
Show the answer
Whether the Commons is too dominant (an "elective dictatorship") or whether the Lords, though unelected, provides valuable independent scrutiny that the Commons lacks. -
The comparative powers of the two Houses
What is the committee stage of a bill?
Show the answer
Line-by-line scrutiny of the text by a public bill committee, which may amend it. Committee membership reflects the party balance of the Commons, so a majority government usually controls the outcome. -
The legislative process and scrutiny of the Executive
What is parliamentary privilege?
Show the answer
The legal protection allowing members to speak freely in Parliament without fear of legal action (e.g. defamation), enabling robust scrutiny of government. -
The legislative process and scrutiny of the Executive
How have select committees become more independent since 2010?
Show the answer
Chairs are elected by a secret ballot of the whole House and members by their parties, rather than being chosen by the whips, which freed committees from party managers and made critical reports far more common.
The 3 subtopics
One subtopic is one session. Work down the list.
| Subtopic | What it covers | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| The structure and role of the Commons and Lords | Recall questions on how each chamber is composed, the different kinds of peer, the role of the Speaker and what each House is for. | 9 |
| The comparative powers of the two Houses | Recall questions on the exclusive powers of the Commons and the powers of the Lords, the Salisbury Convention and money bills, the debate over the balance between the Houses, second reading, committee stage and ping-pong, and select against public bill committees. | 9 |
| The legislative process and scrutiny of the Executive | Recall questions on the stages of a bill, public bill committees, select committees, backbenchers, the opposition and question time. | 10 |
How the guide is worked
Answering a question from memory stores it far better than reading the answer again. The guide runs that as a fixed procedure on one subtopic at a time, about twenty minutes a session.
-
Step 1 · Closed book
Cover the answers. Work through one subtopic and write down what you can. Leave blanks where you have nothing.
-
Step 2 · Open book
Go back to the top. Read each printed answer and write it out in full, including the ones you had right.
-
Step 3 · Closed book again
Same questions, same order, from memory. The gap between pass one and pass three is the session result.
Read the full method, the return schedule and the research behind it.
Nearby topics
Edexcel A-Level Politics Active Recall Guide
Every topic, not just this one. 2,101 questions with their answers.