PRE-CHEWED POLITICS- PARLIAMENT EXAM QUESTIONS ANSWERED CORRECTLY LATEST UPDATE
2026
What is a bicameral legislature? - Answers -Divided into two chambers- the House of Commons and
the House of Lords.
What does the Speaker of the House of Commons do? - Answers -Presides over the House of
Commons and ensures the rules of the House are observed.
-Has the power to distrupt MPs and stop them talking.
-Speaker calls on an MP before they can talk and how long they speak for.
-Decides whethger ammendments and bills are debated.
Why is it important that the Speaker is impartial? - Answers -So that the speaker is not biased in terms
of letting MPs talk, letting bills be debated and making votes to break a tie.
How is the Speaker chosen? - Answers -Conducted under an exhaustive ballot.
-MPs vote for preferred candidate- if they get over 30% they win.
-If no candidate wins a majority, candidates are eliminated and vote happens again with less choice.
What can we learn about an MP from where they sit in the House of Commons? - Answers -Sit on the
right- the government's party.
-Sit on the left- the opposition parties.
-MPs in governing party without ministerial position- backbenches.
-Prime Minister and government ministers- frontbenches.
-Opposition Mps without shadow cabinet position anf other opposition parties-backbenches.
-Leader of the opposition and shadow ministers- frontbenches.
How is the Official Opposition different to all other opposiiton parties in the commons? - Answers -
Official opposition is the largest opposiiton in the commons.
-They can select MPs to join the shadow cabinet.
-Each shadow minister is tasked with scrutinising a government minister.
-Different as other opposition don't have an official leader or a shadow cabinet.
What do Whips do?
What carrots and sticks can they use? - Answers -Whips enforce disclipine within the party.
-Issue weekly instructions to backbench Mps- clear how to vote.
-Feedback views from bachbench MPs so that party leaders are made aware of concerns etc.
-Carrots- persuade MPs to Government view or tempt with future promotion.
-Sticks-threaten MPs with loss of promotion or explusion from the party.
What is the 1922 Committee?
How is it different to the Parliamentary Labour Party? - Answers -Committee includes all conservative
backbench MPs- meets weekly to discuss forthcoming business.-Since 2010 frontbench Mps can
attend but cannot vote for officers and leaders.
-Labour- does not have a committee- all MPs part of the PLP.
-Gives leaders opportunities to update backbench MPs.
How many independent MPs are there in the Commons? - Answers -Typically none or hardly any as it
is hard to get elected.
-Currently only 1 as of 2019 GE.
WHat are hereditary peers?
How were they impacted by the House of Lords Act 1999? - Answers -Hereditary- members of the
aristocracy who inherited the right to sit in the House of Lords.
-House of Lords Act- got rid of all but 92 hereditary peers.
-Was reduced in plans to make it more democratic.
-When a hereditary peer dies- a by-election is held through AV.
What are life peers? - Answers -Peers who have the right to sit in the House of Lords but cannot pass
it down to their children.
-Often political appointments.
How was the appointment process for life peers chnaged in 2000? - Answers -Responsibility for non-
political appointments was transferred to a new, non-partisan, independent body called the House of
Lords appointment commission.
-Also scrutinises appointments made by the PM.
Who are the Lord Spirituals? - Answers -26 Archbishops and Bishops from the Church of England who
also sit in the HoL.
, Why do political parties have less influence in the Lords than the commons?
What are the crossbenches? - Answers -Many members are independent- lord Spirituals are not party
bound.
-Many life peers join the crossbench party group.
-Crossbenchers do not take a collective position on issues- no need for a whip.
-Some do not join a party or the crossbench group.
Why does the size of the House of Lords vary so much more than the size of the House of Commons? -
Answers -No limit on peerages that can be awarded- so no set limit on the size.
What did the House of Lords Reform Act 2014 do? - Answers -Allowed members, for the first time, to
retire from the House of Lords.
-Any member who does not aqttend at all in a session is also considered to have retired at the end of
the session.
While the monarch today has little power, why do we still say that parliament is made up of the
commons, the Lords and the Queen? - Answers -Largely ceremonial role- formally opens parliament
and dissolves it before a general election.
-Announces governments legislative plans in the Queen's speech.
-All bills passed by parliament still require royal assent before they become law.
-Queen's ceremonial role must be recognised.
What powers/ functions are shared by the two Houses? - Answers -Debate key issues.
-Introduce, debate, ammend and vote on bills.
-Hold ministers accountable.
-Dismiss senior judges on a joint vote.
How does the convention of financial priviledge limit the ammendments that can be made by the
Lords? - Answers -Commons financial priviledge- taxes and financial spending should be chnaged by
the Commons and not the Lords.
-All financial bills must start in the Commons and cannnot be altered by the Lords.
What are 'money bills'?
How did the Parliament Act 1911 affect the Lords' influence over money bills? - Answers -Money bills-
bills that deal exclusively with taxation/ public spending.
-Parliament Act-requaired money bills to be presented for royal assent 1 month after suggestion
despite passing the Lords or not.
What impact did the Parliament Act (1911) have on the Lord's veto power? - Answers -Limited the
Lords to delaying only non-money bills for up to two years.
-If the Commons passed a bill in 3 seperate sessions over 2 years a bill would go directly to royal
assent.
What did the Parliament Act 1949 do? - Answers -Reduced the Lord's delaying power of non-money
bills to a year.
What do the Parliament Acts not apply to ?
What can these execptions be significant? - Answers -Any bills extending the maximum duration of
parliament beyond 5 years.
-Do not apply to bills that originate in the House of Lords.
-Do not apply to delegated/ secondary legislation.
-Significant as it can force a government to make changes.
What factors might explain why so few bills have passed without the consent of the House of Lords? -
Answers -Peers often have considerable expertise in areas- also no rules ro limit debates peers have,
meaning they can scrutinise bills more.
-Lords make many vaild ammendments that improve bills.
-Power to delay can be more significant than it seems- can get ministers to consider bills more
carefully.
In addition to financial privilege, what other conventions limit the Lords? - Answers -Conventions-
financial privilege, Salisbury convention and secondary legislation.
-Peers limit use of powers due to lack of democratic legitimacy.
-Arguably a convention exists that Lords should only block seconadry legilsation in extaordinary
circumstances.
How, and why, have these conventions come under strain recent years? - Answers -The makeup of
the House of Lords has chamnged in recent years after the removal of many life peers.
-Declining turnout chnaged the use fo conventions- undermines its mandate.
2026
What is a bicameral legislature? - Answers -Divided into two chambers- the House of Commons and
the House of Lords.
What does the Speaker of the House of Commons do? - Answers -Presides over the House of
Commons and ensures the rules of the House are observed.
-Has the power to distrupt MPs and stop them talking.
-Speaker calls on an MP before they can talk and how long they speak for.
-Decides whethger ammendments and bills are debated.
Why is it important that the Speaker is impartial? - Answers -So that the speaker is not biased in terms
of letting MPs talk, letting bills be debated and making votes to break a tie.
How is the Speaker chosen? - Answers -Conducted under an exhaustive ballot.
-MPs vote for preferred candidate- if they get over 30% they win.
-If no candidate wins a majority, candidates are eliminated and vote happens again with less choice.
What can we learn about an MP from where they sit in the House of Commons? - Answers -Sit on the
right- the government's party.
-Sit on the left- the opposition parties.
-MPs in governing party without ministerial position- backbenches.
-Prime Minister and government ministers- frontbenches.
-Opposition Mps without shadow cabinet position anf other opposition parties-backbenches.
-Leader of the opposition and shadow ministers- frontbenches.
How is the Official Opposition different to all other opposiiton parties in the commons? - Answers -
Official opposition is the largest opposiiton in the commons.
-They can select MPs to join the shadow cabinet.
-Each shadow minister is tasked with scrutinising a government minister.
-Different as other opposition don't have an official leader or a shadow cabinet.
What do Whips do?
What carrots and sticks can they use? - Answers -Whips enforce disclipine within the party.
-Issue weekly instructions to backbench Mps- clear how to vote.
-Feedback views from bachbench MPs so that party leaders are made aware of concerns etc.
-Carrots- persuade MPs to Government view or tempt with future promotion.
-Sticks-threaten MPs with loss of promotion or explusion from the party.
What is the 1922 Committee?
How is it different to the Parliamentary Labour Party? - Answers -Committee includes all conservative
backbench MPs- meets weekly to discuss forthcoming business.-Since 2010 frontbench Mps can
attend but cannot vote for officers and leaders.
-Labour- does not have a committee- all MPs part of the PLP.
-Gives leaders opportunities to update backbench MPs.
How many independent MPs are there in the Commons? - Answers -Typically none or hardly any as it
is hard to get elected.
-Currently only 1 as of 2019 GE.
WHat are hereditary peers?
How were they impacted by the House of Lords Act 1999? - Answers -Hereditary- members of the
aristocracy who inherited the right to sit in the House of Lords.
-House of Lords Act- got rid of all but 92 hereditary peers.
-Was reduced in plans to make it more democratic.
-When a hereditary peer dies- a by-election is held through AV.
What are life peers? - Answers -Peers who have the right to sit in the House of Lords but cannot pass
it down to their children.
-Often political appointments.
How was the appointment process for life peers chnaged in 2000? - Answers -Responsibility for non-
political appointments was transferred to a new, non-partisan, independent body called the House of
Lords appointment commission.
-Also scrutinises appointments made by the PM.
Who are the Lord Spirituals? - Answers -26 Archbishops and Bishops from the Church of England who
also sit in the HoL.
, Why do political parties have less influence in the Lords than the commons?
What are the crossbenches? - Answers -Many members are independent- lord Spirituals are not party
bound.
-Many life peers join the crossbench party group.
-Crossbenchers do not take a collective position on issues- no need for a whip.
-Some do not join a party or the crossbench group.
Why does the size of the House of Lords vary so much more than the size of the House of Commons? -
Answers -No limit on peerages that can be awarded- so no set limit on the size.
What did the House of Lords Reform Act 2014 do? - Answers -Allowed members, for the first time, to
retire from the House of Lords.
-Any member who does not aqttend at all in a session is also considered to have retired at the end of
the session.
While the monarch today has little power, why do we still say that parliament is made up of the
commons, the Lords and the Queen? - Answers -Largely ceremonial role- formally opens parliament
and dissolves it before a general election.
-Announces governments legislative plans in the Queen's speech.
-All bills passed by parliament still require royal assent before they become law.
-Queen's ceremonial role must be recognised.
What powers/ functions are shared by the two Houses? - Answers -Debate key issues.
-Introduce, debate, ammend and vote on bills.
-Hold ministers accountable.
-Dismiss senior judges on a joint vote.
How does the convention of financial priviledge limit the ammendments that can be made by the
Lords? - Answers -Commons financial priviledge- taxes and financial spending should be chnaged by
the Commons and not the Lords.
-All financial bills must start in the Commons and cannnot be altered by the Lords.
What are 'money bills'?
How did the Parliament Act 1911 affect the Lords' influence over money bills? - Answers -Money bills-
bills that deal exclusively with taxation/ public spending.
-Parliament Act-requaired money bills to be presented for royal assent 1 month after suggestion
despite passing the Lords or not.
What impact did the Parliament Act (1911) have on the Lord's veto power? - Answers -Limited the
Lords to delaying only non-money bills for up to two years.
-If the Commons passed a bill in 3 seperate sessions over 2 years a bill would go directly to royal
assent.
What did the Parliament Act 1949 do? - Answers -Reduced the Lord's delaying power of non-money
bills to a year.
What do the Parliament Acts not apply to ?
What can these execptions be significant? - Answers -Any bills extending the maximum duration of
parliament beyond 5 years.
-Do not apply to bills that originate in the House of Lords.
-Do not apply to delegated/ secondary legislation.
-Significant as it can force a government to make changes.
What factors might explain why so few bills have passed without the consent of the House of Lords? -
Answers -Peers often have considerable expertise in areas- also no rules ro limit debates peers have,
meaning they can scrutinise bills more.
-Lords make many vaild ammendments that improve bills.
-Power to delay can be more significant than it seems- can get ministers to consider bills more
carefully.
In addition to financial privilege, what other conventions limit the Lords? - Answers -Conventions-
financial privilege, Salisbury convention and secondary legislation.
-Peers limit use of powers due to lack of democratic legitimacy.
-Arguably a convention exists that Lords should only block seconadry legilsation in extaordinary
circumstances.
How, and why, have these conventions come under strain recent years? - Answers -The makeup of
the House of Lords has chamnged in recent years after the removal of many life peers.
-Declining turnout chnaged the use fo conventions- undermines its mandate.
