Parliamentary system of UK

A
Constituency
constituency
is a place
where
people live. Each
constituency
has one person
who
represents
them in
The UK is split
Parliament.
up into 650
parts. Each part
is called a
constituency.
 Separation of powers

 Legislature: supreme authority is Parliament

 The Executive: the Government, local
authorities and public corporations
 The Judiciary: the court system (hierarchy of
courts)
 The Monarchy

 The Queen is head of State and an important

symbol of national unity
 Head of the executive
 An integral part of the legislature
 Commander-in-chief of the armed forces
 The ‘supreme governor’ of the Church of
England
 International affairs

 As head of State, the Queen has the power to

declare war and make peace, to recognise
foreign states and governments, to conclude
treaties
 The Legislature - Parliament

 The Queen – formal powers

 The House of Commons – the supreme
legislative body
 The House of Lords
Parliament
The Houses of
Parliament is a
building.
Sometimes it is
called the Palace of
Westminster.
Member of
Parliament (MP)
 The functions

 To pass laws
 To provide, by voting for taxation, the means of
carrying on the work of government
 To scrutinise government policy and
administration
 To debate major issues of the day
 The House of Lords

 92 elected hereditary peers and peeresses

 Life peers
 The Archbishops and Bishops of the Church of
England
Lords and
Lords and
Baronesses Baronesse
s can be in
a political
party.

They meet
in the
House of
Lords.
 The House of Commons

 An elected body
 650 MPs directly elected by voters
 General elections and by-elections
 Annual salary and travel allowances
 The chief officer is the Speaker elected by the
Members
 The meeting of Parliament

 A maximum duration of five years

 Dissolved by the Queen
 The life of a parliament is divided into
sessions
 Each session lasts for one year (beginning and
ending in October or November) – 160 ‘sitting
days’
 Opens with the Queen’s speech, ends by
prorogation
 The Government

 The Government consists of the ministers

appointed by the Crown on the
recommendation of the Prime Minister
 The Cabinet

 The Cabinet consists of a small group of the

most important ministers selected by the Prime
Minister
 Today the number is 23
 The Cabinet determines, controls and integrates
the policies of the government for submission
to Parliament
 The Prime Minister

 The Prime Minister is the head of the

government and presides over meetings of the
Cabinet
 He consults and advises the Monarch on
government business, supervises and co-
ordinates the work of various ministries and
departments
Prime
Minister
The leader of the
party with the
The Prime most MPs is the
Minister is Prime Minister.
an MP.

The Prime
Minister
chooses and
leads the
government.
Representation
MPs speak up
for their local
area
(constituency) in
Parliament.

They go to local
events and help
MPs listen people who live
to people’s in their
ideas and constituency.
problems.