State Structure of the United Kingdom

Subject of Study:

Texts: A. State Structure of the United Kingdom.

B. The Monarchy

C. Electoral System

D. Political Party System

Grammar:

A. Tenses in the Active Voice

 Degrees of Comparison

 Prepositions

 Articles

Vocabulary

Vocabulary Notes

Text A. Read and translate the text. Do exercises given bellow.

The Constitutional Monarchy

The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy, which means that the powers of the monarch are limited by the country's constitution.

The British constitution, unlike that of most other countries, is an unwritten constitution, not being contained in any single legal document. It is formed partly by statute law(Acts of Parliament)and important documents (such as Magna Carta),partly by common law(a series of laws dating back to the Middle Ages), and partly by customs and conventions and can be altered by a simple Act of Parliament like any other law. The constitution thus is constantly changing in response to the interpretation of laws in the courts and the introduction of new Acts of Parliament and adapts readily to changing political conditions and ideas. In theory the Constitution safeguards the separation of powers between the legislature, the executive and the judiciary.

The legislature,which consists of both Houses of Parliament and formally the monarch, is the supreme authority, the supreme law-making body.

The executiveconsists of the Government – the Cabinet and government ministries (or departments) headed by ministers (or secretaries of state). The government is responsible for putting laws into effect and directing national policy and acts formally in the name of the monarch.

The judiciaryis composed mainly of the judges of the higher courts who determine the common law and interpret Acts of Parliament and decide on cases arising out of the laws. The judiciary is supposed to be independent of the legislative and executive branches of government.

The organs of government are clearly distinguishable, although their functions often intermingle and overlap. The monarch is formally the head of the executive, the legislature and the judiciary. A member of Parliament (MP) in the House of Commons and a member of the House of Lords may both be in the government of the day. A Law Lord in the House of Lords also serves the House of Lords as the highest appeal court.

The division of powers is shown in the table:

Legislature

Parliament

Parliament of the United Kingdom is the supreme legislative authority and consists of three separate elements: the Queen, the House of Lords and the elected House of Commons. These are outwardly separate, constituted on different principles, and meet together only on occasions of symbolic significance such as the state opening of Parliament. Over the centuries the balance between the three parts of the legislature has changed, so that the Queen's role is now only formal and the House of Commons has gained supremacy over the House of Lords.

Functions of Parliament

The main functions of British Parliament today are as follows:

• to pass laws

• to vote on financial bills so that the government could carry on his work

• to discuss the government's administrative policies — foreign affairs, the state of agriculture, educational problems, etc.

• to debate important political issues of the day.

By custom, Parliament is also informed before the ratification of all important international treaties and agreements. The making of treaties is, however, a royal prerogative exercised on the advice of the government and is not subject to parliamentary approval.

Meeting of Parliament

A Parliament has a maximum duration of five years, but it is not fixed, and the government of the day may dissolve it and call for a general election at any time during the term. This is done by the monarch on the advice of the Prime Minister.

The life of a Parliament is divided into periods, called sessions.Each usually lasts for one year — normally beginning and ending most often in October or November. Each session is ended by prorogation.Parliament then 'stands prorogued', until the new session begins. Prorogation terminates nearly all parliamentary business: in particular, bills which have not been passed by the end of the session are lost, and every new session begins with a clean slate.

At weekends, at Christmas, Easter and the late Spring Bank Holiday as well as during a long summer 'recess' (usually late July until October) Parliament is adjourned.

Law-making process

Making legislation or creating laws is Parliament's main function and the most important job of MPs. Every year, Parliament passes about a hundred laws directly, by making Acts of Parliament. As this can be a long process, Parliament sometimes passes a very general law and then leaves a minister (or a civil servant) to fill in the details (these usually involve Orders and Regulations). This procedure, called delegated legislation, is designed to save parliamentary time and increase the number of laws and regulations to about 2,000.

A draft law takes the form of a parliamentary bill. There are two main types of bills — Private Bills and Public Bills. Private Bills are intended to give powers or benefits to individuals (such as certain proposals relating to railways and roads) or to particular bodies (such as individual local authorities) and thus can affect only one particular area or organisation and not the whole country.

Most are Public Bills,called so, as they are intended to change the general law and thus to affect the public as a whole. Public bills are introduced into either House, by a government minister and are known as 'Government Bills'.

An ordinary ('private' or 'backbench') member (or peer) also has a right to initiate bills. These are then called Private Member's Billsand often concern moral issues.

Before a government bill is drafted, there usually takes place a full public discussion in the form of consultations with specialists, professional and voluntary organisations, various pressure groups. The government proposals, documents and consultation papers are usually collected and published in what is called 'Green Papers'. The purpose of a Green Paper is to acquaint the public with them and, consequently, invite views and comments from those interested in government proposals while they are still taking shape. The following preliminary document stating the details of what the government plans is called a 'White Paper' and is circulated around and possibly debated in Parliament before a bill is introduced.

Public Bills must normally be passed by both Houses. Government bills likely to raise political controversy usually go through the Commons before being discussed in the Lords, while bills of a technical but non-political nature often pass through the Lords first. A bill with a mainly financial purpose is nearly always introduced in the Commons.

The process of passing a public (or government) bill is similar in both Houses. Its publication in printed form is announced in the chamber, and this announcement is called its first reading. The process is formal and there is no voting at this stage.

The term ‘reading’ dates back to the days before printing, when the only way MPs could find out what a bill contained was by having the contents read out to them. Therefore the next stages within parliament are known as 'readings', although now MPs do have a printed copy.

After an interval ranging from one day to several months, the bill will receive its second reading, during which the general principles of the bill are discussed.

If the House votes for the bill, it proceeds to the committee stage. This involves a standing committee (of about 18 MPs) examining the bill in detail and suggesting amendments.

If the House so decides the whole House sitting in committee may refer to the bill.

The committee stage is followed by the report stage (‘consideration’) on the floor of the House, during which further amendments may be considered. In the Commons, the report stage is usually followed immediately by the third reading debate.

The third reading considers the revised bill in its final form, usually on a purely formal basis. However, debate is still possible if demanded by at least six MPs. (This delaying tactic may be used by the opposition parties to hold up the passage of a bill). After the third reading, a Commons bill will be sent to the House of Lords; this second chamber has time to examine bills and make amendments. As in the Commons, the bills go through the same stages once more: the first reading introduces the Bill, the second explains it in more detail, then it goes on to the Committee stage, which is different in that it is conducted in the chamber itself, not in a committee room. Any Lord who is interested in the bill can take part in the discussion. This stage is followed by the report stage and then the third reading, where the Lords get their last chance to look at the bill as a whole. Amendments made by the second House must be agreed by the first, or a compromise reached.

The Cabinet

Traditionally, the British government is based on the Cabinet principle which means that out of one hundred of ministers, the 20 or so senior ministers are invited by the Prime Minister to form the Cabinet. The principle also means that the position of the Prime Minister is that of 'first among equals'. Among the 20 Cabinet ministers (the number can vary) there are the Chancellor of the Exchequer (Finance Minister), the Foreign Secretary, the Home Secretary, the Minister of Defence, Lord Chancellor, the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, the Secretary of Trade and Industry and the Secretary of the Environment, Transport and the Regions.

The Cabinet presided by the Prime Minister, usually meets for a few hours once a week in the Prime Minister's Office at 10 Downing Street. The Cabinet meets in private and its proceedings are secret (its members are bound by an oath not to disclose information about them).

The Cabinet's functions are to make the main decisions about government policy as well as to exercise the supreme control over and to coordinate Government Departments. There are many cabinet committees, some permanent and meeting regularly, others set up to deal with special problems. Each of these committees includes ministers from relevant departments. The Prime Minister decides who is to be in each committee, what each one has to do, and what matters are included in the full cabinet's agenda; he also has informal meetings with one or two ministers alone.

These arrangements are made necessary by the complexity of modern government, but they also increase the Prime Minister's personal influence. This authority is also helped by the Prime Minister's power to appoint all ministers, and to dismiss any of them at any time.

The Prime Minister's other responsibilities include informing the Queen during the weekly audience of the general policies and business of the government; recommending a number of appointments to the Queen such as Church of England archbishops, bishops and deans, senior judges, Privy Councillors and Lord-Lieutenants. They also include certain civil appointments, such as Poet Laureate, Constable of the Tower, some university posts; and appointments, such as chairmanship of nationalised industries, the BBC and various boards.

As the Prime Minister has great power within the British system of government, there are arguments that the office has become like an all-powerful presidency. It is partially true, as there seems to be a greater emphasis upon the prime ministerial government rather than on the traditional constitutional notions of the Cabinet government according to which the Cabinet collectively initiates and decides government policy. It also has control of the government apparatus and ministries because it is composed of members of the majority party in the Commons. Still, the popular convention that Government rule is Cabinet rule seems to have become much weaker. Since it is the Prime Minister who is responsible for the Cabinet agendas and the control of the Cabinet proceedings, the Cabinet itself can become merely a 'rubber-stamp' to policies which have already been decided upon by the Prime Minister, or by a smaller group (sometimes called the Inner Cabinet).

Much depends on the personality of the Prime Minister in this situation. Some are strong and like to take the lead. Others have given the impression of being able to work within a traditional Cabinet structure.

The Judiciary

The judiciary is independent of the executive; its judgements are not subject to ministerial direction or control. The Prime Minister recommends the highest judicial appointments to the Crown. The Lord Chancellor is the head of the judiciary except in Scotland (although Britain is a unitary state, England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland all have their own legal systems). The Lord Chancellor’s responsibilities include administration of all courts, judicial appointments and appointment of magistrates.

Vocabulary Practice

Ex. 1.Read the words. Mind the stress.

Ex. 2. Complete the list of derivatives. Use a dictionary if necessary.

verb                 noun(agent)                      noun(concept)

to limit

to enforce

to protect

to adopt

to elect

to function

to compose

to administer

to form

to alter

to act

to operate                   operator                   operation

Ex. 3. Pair the words in column B with the ones from column A

Ex. 4. Decide which of the verbs you would use with the noun phrases you have identified in ex. 3

to attend, to have, to operate, to alter, to vest, to pass, to create, to adapt, to form, to be responsible for, to contain, to response, to appoint, to head

Ex. 5.Add adjectives to the following nouns to form noun phrases

individual, formal, national, general, constitutional, judicial, initiating, considerable, amending, delaying, local, political, general

Ex. 6. Match Russian and English equivalents.

Ex. 7 Find English equivalents for:

абсолютное большинство; отклонить законопроект; выдвинуть законопроект; налогообложение; внести поправку в законопроект; обсуждать политические вопросы; королевская санкция; ассигновать деньги для нужд правительства; принять закон; обсуждать законопроект; подробно обсудить; направить законопроект на рассмотрение; отложить принятие законопроекта.

Ex. 8. Match a word with a proper definition.

Ex. 9. Write as many words and expressions as you can. Use the vocabulary of the Unit.

Ex. 10. All the words in the box are used in the text to refer to law and laws.

a) Look at each word in context and try to decide its exact use or uses.

Which terms are similar or equivalent?

Which words are quite different from all the other?

b) Complete the passage below by choosing the best word from the box for each blank space. Do not use any word more than once. Choose the singular or plural form and the article a or an as appropriate.

English Laws

A proposal of law, or 1) ________ only becomes a/an 2) ______ called a/an 3) ________ when all its 4) ________ have been approved by the Queen in Parliament. Many 5) _________ of English constitutional 6) _______ do not derive (come) from 7) __________ or common law, but are political; 8) ________ called 9) _________ which have the force of law.

Ex. 11. In the sentences below, fill each blank space with a suitable word from the word family given in capitals on the right.

1. The constitution is changing to the __________ of laws in the courts and the ___________ of new Acts of Parlament. (Interpre, Introduce)

2. The government is responsible for ___________ laws into effect and directing ____________ policy. (Put, Nation)

3. Bill’s __________ in printed form is announced in the chamber. (Publicate)

4. The Prime Minister is responsible for Cabinet agendas and the control of Cabinet__________. (Proceed)

5. Nearly all British citizens over the age of 18 are members of the ______ (Elect).

6. In the British constitutions the Queen in Parliament is the legislative ___________ (Sovereign)

7. Many British ________ are in favour of changing the ________ (Vote, Elect).

8. For the purpose of tax, a person is ______ in the UK if s/he stays there for more than six months of the year. (Reside)

9. Parliament _____ the ____ of the special Commission. (Approve, Recommend)

10. Direct ________ to the European Parliament are held every five years. (Elect)

Ex. 12. Choose the correct alternative and complete each of the sentences below.

1. The ___________ met urgently at 10 Downing Street to decide government policy on the new economic crisis.

2. The exact effect of legislation is influenced by judicial _________ .

3. Parliament is a ____________ body.

4. _____________, codes and delegated legislation are all sources of written law.

5. The Minister presented the new Housing ____________ to the House of Commons for reading and debate

6. The government lost the confidence of the House of Commons, Parliament was dissolved and a/an ___ was called.

7. In general, a Bill becomes an Act of Parliament when it has received the ________ of both Houses of Parliament and the sovereign.

Discussion

Ex. 1. Complete the following sentences in part A by adding the phrases given in part B.

A:

1. A constitution is ...

2. The British constitution is made up of ...

3. Most modern constitutions have adopted ...

4. The executive branch puts ...

5. Law courts constitute ...

6. The first reading of a bill is followed by ...

7. If the Lords agree to a bill ...

8. The composition of government may vary both ...

9. The Cabinet can always have ...

10. The job of Lord Chancellor is ...

11. The United Kingdom is...

12. British constitution is…

B:

1. ... the judicial branch.

2. ... in the number of ministers and in titles.

3. ... administration of all courts, judicial appointments and appointment of magistrates.

4. ... more than a mechanical set of ground rules.

5. ... the laws into effect.

6. ... it will be passed before the Queen for signature.

7. ... the last word.

8. ... statute law, common law and conventions.

9. ... a debate in general principle.

10. ... the principle of separation of powers.

11. … a constitutional monarchy

12. … is not contained in any siugal document.

Ex. 2. Mark the statements which are true and prove your idea.

1. The Constitution describes the life of the people.

2. The Constitution is contained in a lot of documents.

3. In Britain Parliament is the supreme authority.

4. Law courts interpret and apply laws.

5. To become an Act of Parliament a bill must be signed by the Queen.

6. In the House of Commons a bill must pass only one reading.

7. The Lords can reject any bill.

8. The Government consists of about seventy politicians.

9. The Cabinet proceedings are private and confidential.

10. The Court judgements are the subject to ministerial direction or control.

Ex. 3.Complete the following text with the words and pharases from the box. Speak on the reforms in the British Parlament

1. The Lords reform 1) _______ published at the end of 2001 suggested.

2. reshuffling of lords 2) ________;

3. separating from the peerage, which would 3) ______ purely as a formal 4) _________;

4. getting rid of the last of the 5) _______ members of 6) ________;

5. The job of the House of Lords will remain principally to consider and revise 7) _______, to scrutinise the 8) _______ and to debate and report on 9) _____.

6. The House of Commons is 10) ______ considerable changes as well. The Commons reform is aimed at boosting public 11) ______ that Parliament is 12) _____ to their lives. The proposals also include 13) ________ to help MPs to keep te government in check and better laws. There are the plans to make 14) _______ more Parliament more “friendly” for MPs, but rather 15) _______.

Ex 4. Answer the questions:

1. What is the British Constitution formed up with?

2. What does the Constitution reflect?

3. What principle does the Constitution safeguard?

4. What are the functions of Parliament?

5. How long does Parliament hold the office?

6. What is the life of a Parliament?

7. How is the House of Commons elected?

8. Are there any allowances for MPs?

9. Who is the chief officer of the House of Commons?

10. What are his responsibilities?

11. What is the composition of the House of Lords?

12. Who is the house of lords presided by?

13. How does he conduct his business?

14. How is the Prime Minister chosen in Britain?

15. What does “cabinet government” mean? What are its strengths and weakness?

Ex. 5. Speak on the British Constitution

a) The Constitution itself as the supreme law:

the political and ideological structure, to make and enforce laws, to reflect the national soul, to protect the values, to contain, to make up, to alter a convention, to prevent, to vest with powers, to be the supreme authority, to put into effect, to constitute, to interpret laws, to apply laws.

b) Parliament:

to require for legislation, to pass laws, to adopt, to sign, to introduce a bill, the first reading, to debate, to give detailed consideration, to amend, to reject.

c) Government:

to hold office, to be responsible for, to create, to abolish, to transfer, to be composed of, to have the last word, the Cabinet sanction, the Court of Appeal.

d) Judiciary:

to be independent, judgements, control, to recommend, the Lord Chancellor, legal system, administration of courts, judicial appointments, the appointment of magistrates.

Ex. 6. Fill in the table. Use the information from the unit.

Legislative

Grammar Practice

Tenses in the Active Voice

Ex. 1 Use the verbs in brackets in proper tense and voice

1. The House of Lords _____ (consist) of the Lords Temporal and the Lords Spiritual.

2. The Lords Spiritual _____ (be) the Archbishops of York and Canterbury.

3. The Lords Temporal _____ (represent) hereditary peers who _____ (to inherit) their titles.

4. The Lords of Appeal (Law Lords) _____ (become) life peers on their judicial appointments.

5. Law Lords _____ (serve) the House of Lords as the ultimate court of appeal.

6. The appeal court _____(consist) of some nine Law Lords who _____ (to hold) senior judicial office.

7. The Lord Chancellor _____ (preside) over these nine Lords and they _____ (form) a quorum of three to five when they _____ ( hear) appeal cases.

8. The functions of the Prime Minister _____ (be): _____ (lead) the majority party, _____ (run) the government, _____ (appoint) Cabinet Ministers and other ministers, _____ (represent) the nation in political matters.

9. After the Prime Minister _____ (form) his cabinet he ____( select) the rest of his ministry.

10. The Cabinet _____ (constitute) the centre of the government.

11. The Cabinet _____ (make) all major decisions of the government.

Ex. 2 Choose the correct verb form: