The UK Government, the Law and Your Role: practice questions

1. The UK has a written constitution contained in a single document, similar to those of the United States and France.

• True
• False

This is false. The British constitution is not written down in any single document and is described as 'unwritten'. Unlike America or France, the UK has never had a revolution leading to a totally new system of government, so its institutions have developed gradually over hundreds of years.

2. Members of the House of Lords, known as peers, are elected by the general public in the same way as Members of Parliament.

• True
• False

This is false. Members of the House of Lords, known as peers, are NOT elected by the people and do not represent a constituency. Life peers are appointed by the monarch on the advice of the Prime Minister. Since 1999, hereditary peers no longer have the automatic right to attend.

3. Which TWO of the following are roles within the Cabinet appointed by the Prime Minister?

• Chancellor of the Exchequer
• Speaker of the House of Commons
• Home Secretary
• Chief Constable

The Prime Minister appoints senior MPs to become ministers in charge of departments. These include the Chancellor of the Exchequer (responsible for the economy) and the Home Secretary (responsible for crime, policing and immigration). The Speaker of the House is elected by MPs and is neutral; the Chief Constable heads a police force.

4. Which TWO of the following accurately describe functions of the House of Lords?

• It can suggest amendments to laws proposed by the House of Commons
• It elects the Prime Minister by a secret ballot of peers
• It checks laws passed by the House of Commons to ensure they are fit for purpose
• It sets the national budget and controls public expenditure

The House of Lords can suggest amendments or propose new laws which are then discussed by MPs. It also checks laws passed by the House of Commons to ensure they are fit for purpose. The House of Lords does not elect the Prime Minister (the Commons does effectively) and does not set the national budget.

5. Which TWO of the following rights are included in the European Convention on Human Rights, incorporated into UK law by the Human Rights Act 1998?

• Right to a fair trial
• Right to free healthcare
• Freedom of expression (speech)
• Right to free university education

The European Convention on Human Rights includes many rights, among them the right to a fair trial and freedom of expression (speech). Free healthcare and free university education are not rights contained within the Convention.

6. Which TWO of the following international organisations is the UK a member of?

• NATO
• ASEAN
• The Commonwealth
• The African Union

The UK is a member of both NATO (the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, which maintains peace among member nations) and the Commonwealth (an association of countries that support each other, mostly former parts of the British Empire). ASEAN and the African Union have no UK membership.

7. Which TWO groups of people, if resident in the UK, are eligible to vote in ALL public elections including General Elections?

• Citizens of the Irish Republic resident in the UK
• Adult citizens of other EU states resident in the UK
• Citizens of Commonwealth countries resident in the UK
• Citizens of non-Commonwealth countries with a valid work visa

Adult citizens of the UK, citizens of the Commonwealth, and citizens of the Irish Republic who are resident in the UK can vote in all public elections, including General Elections. So Commonwealth citizens and Irish Republic citizens both qualify. Note: the handbook states that adult citizens of other EU states can vote in all elections except General Elections; since the Elections Act 2022 most EU citizens have lost automatic local voting rights, but on the real test answer according to the handbook.

8. When were women first given the right to vote in UK elections, and at what age?

• In 1908, at the age of 21
• In 1918, at the age of 30 (later reduced to 21 in 1928)
• In 1928, at the age of 25
• In 1945, at the age of 21

In 1918, women over the age of 30 were given voting rights and the right to stand for Parliament, partly in recognition of their contribution to the war effort. In 1928, women were given the right to vote at the age of 21, the same as men. The voting age was later reduced to 18 in 1969.