The Executive Branch

1. The Executive Branch

2. Revision • How would you define a parliament? • What are main functions of parliaments? • What is a welfare state? • How can parliament hold government to account? • What are interpollations? • What does the UK Parliament consist of? • How are MPs elected?

3. Complete the following statements: • The United Kingdom is a ______________ monarchy. • The UK Parliament is a _____________ parliament. • The House of Commons is composed of ___ members. • The essential role of the House of Lords is to ___________________________. • Most _______ are put forward by government ministers. • Only the Queen can __________ new laws passed by Parliament.

4. Translate the following phrases: • the scrutiny of government activity • motion of censure • committees of enquiry • electoral system • sessions of parliament • universal suffrage • to represent a constituency • hereditary peers

5. TheExecutiveBranch

6. Government and administration • Under the impact of the separation of power theories of the 18th and 19th centuries, government and administration were combined under the heading of the executive – as contrasted with the legislature or parliament.

7. Functions of the government • Initiation of policies • Implementation • Coordination

8. Cabinet • A cabinet is a small group of politicians (mostly ministers responsible for political decision- making). In cabinet governments, individual members hold a collective responsibility, which stipulates that all cabinet members are bound to cabinet decisions. They may disagree with these decisions in private but must agree in public.

9. Prime Minister • Head of government • Chairman of the cabinet • The power of prime ministers varies significantly across countries, but they are usually more influential in cabinets based on a majority party than in coalition cabinets.

10. Cabinet committees • Cabinet committees usually include relevant ministers and civil servants who prepare filtered suggestions for cabinet decision. • Some committees are composed only of civil servants who aim to iron out problems that might occur among the different government departments.

11. Cabinet secretaries • Cabinet secretaries ensure efficiency in cabinet decision making. They control the flow of proposals coming to and emanating from cabinet meetings and resolve problems over proposed agenda items in advance of cabinet meetings.

12. Impact of political parties Political parties have an impact on the formation and composition of cabinets: • single party vs. multiparty government • coalitions

13. Cabinet and parliament • In a parliamentary government, the cabinet is responsible to parliament. There is mutual dependence, contrary to the dualism in a presidential government; parliamentary majorities can topple the government by votes of non-confidence, and government can dissolve parliament and call for new elections.

14. Multi-level government • Multi-level government within the EU • Most parliamentary legislation in member countries is concerned with the implementation of EU resolutions and directives

15. Read the text carefully and complete the following statements: • In parliamentary systems, the government has several functions, and the most important one is the function of ________________________. • Another important function of government is coordination, as the office of the government leader has to ensure that policies and bills and their implementation are ________________ and do not ________________ each other. • In cabinet governments, individual members hold a ____________________ responsibility, which means that all cabinet members are ____________ to cabinet decisions. • Representativeness means that decision making is in the hands of the _____________ and not, as in the presidential system, in the hands of the leader of the government alone. • Cabinet committees usually include relevant ministers and ________________ who prepare filtered suggestions for cabinet decision. • In a parliamentary government, the cabinet is responsible to _______________________.

16. Fill in appropriate nouns to complete the main powers and duties of government: • to initiate ________________________ • to prepare ________________________ • to take __________________________ • to resolve ________________________ • to ensure _________________________ • to dissolve ________________________ • to call for _________________________

17. Answer key • to initiate POLICIES • to prepare BILLS • to take DECISIONS • to resolve PROBLEMS • to ensure EFFICIENCY • to dissolve PARLIAMENT • to call for NEW ELECTIONS • Translate these collocations!

18. Decide whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F). If false, provide the correct information. • In parliamentary systems, parliamentary billsare prepared by the executive offices. • Although the power of prime ministers varies significantly across countries, they are usually more influential in coalition cabinets than in those based on a majority party. • In a parliamentary government, parliamentary majorities can topple the government by votes of non-confidence. • Most parliamentary legislation in EU member states is concerned with the implementation of EU recommendations and opinions.

19. Translation • Translate the following paragraph into Croatian: • An important government function is to initiate policies. Quite often, parliamentary bills are prepared by the executive offices. Moreover, government has the increasingly important function of implementation. A third function of government is coordination. The office of the government leader has to ensure that policies and bills and their implementation are complementary and do not contradict each other.

20. Government of the UK

21. The Government • The British government, commonly known as "Her Majesty’s Government", is the central government of the United Kingdom. • The Government is headed by the Prime Minister who appoints other ministers. • The government runs the country. It has responsibility for developing and implementing policy and for drafting laws.

22. Forming a government • The political party that wins the most seats in a general election (which are held every five years) forms the new government, led by their party leader who becomes Prime Minister. • The Prime Minister appoints ministers, including the Cabinet, who often work in a government department, and run and develop public services and policies. • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgLNdnQoElo

23. The Prime Minister • The Prime Minister is the head of the government and presides over meetings of the Cabinet • S/He consults and advises the Monarch on government business, supervises and co-ordinates the work of various ministries and departments

24. Formation of Government • Since 1902, the British Prime Minister has always been a serving Member of Parliament, elected to the House of Commons; and most ministers - often all ministers - are members of the House of Commons too. • The Government is formed by the party (or from 2010 to 2015, for example, by the coalition of parties) that has a majority of seats in the House of Commons.

25. 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 • Its functions are also to control the government and co-ordinate government departments

26. The Cabinet meetings • The Cabinet meets in private and its deliberations are secret • No vote is taken – all decisions must be unanimous, so collective responsibility is taken for all the decisions made

27. Ministries • The central government ministries and departments give effect to government policies • Their powers and duties derive from the legislation • Each is headed by a Minister who is a member of the House of Lords or the House of Commons

28. Ministers There are over 100 ministers of the Crown: • departmental ministers • non-departmental ministers • ministers of state • junior ministers

29. Scrutiny of the government • The Government of the United Kingdom is accountable to the Parliament, a principle known as "responsible government". • Parliament checks the work of the government on behalf of UK citizens through investigative select committees and by asking government ministers questions. • The House of Commons also has to approve proposals for government taxes and spending.

30. Government and Parliament • The government is expected to maintain the confidence of the House of Commons since it requires its support for the passing of primary legislation. If the government loses the confidence of the lower house, it is either forced to resign or a general election is held. The members of Parliament have an opportunity to call the prime minister to account during Prime Minister’s Question Time (PMQs).

31. Head of state • The monarch, who is currently Queen Elizabeth II, is the head of state. She plays a minor role in governing the country with the Crown remaining the source of the executive power exercised by the government. • The Crown possesses the Royal Prerogative which can be exercised for several purposes including issuing and withdrawing passports and declaring war against an external enemy. • Most of the Royal Prerogative powers are delegated to various ministries wgo can use them without seeking the consent of parliament.

32. Weekly meetings • The prime minister, who is the head of the UK government, has a weekly meeting with the Queen where the queen can express her views on Government matters. • The meetings are strictly confidential.

33. The Limits of Power of the Government of the United Kingdom • Official bodies such as local authorities and judges are independent of government. Diplomats and EU officials are immune from prosecution in the UK for any offence. The monarch is also immune from any criminal prosecution and may only be prosecuted with her permission. The monarch is also exempted from paying taxes and rates. The central and local governments are not permitted to sue anyone for defamation.

34. Translate the following: • Parliament’s task is to ensure that government is run effectively and efficiently, prevent corruption and hold ministers to account for their actions. It does this by scrutinising the work of government departments, individual ministers and government agencies.

35. Suggested translation • Zadatak parlamenta je da omogući učinkovito i uspješno funkcioniranje vlade, da spriječi korupciju i da mu ministri polažu račune za svoje poteze. Parlament to radi tako što ispituje rad vladinih odbora, ministara i vladinih agencija.

36. Choose from the prepositions below to complete the sentences: after, on, to, as, by, in, for • The government is headed ___ the prime minister who appoints other ministers. The ministers are accountable ____ the Parliament which they also sit ___ while the government is dependent ___ the Parliament ____ policy making. The UK’s general election is held ____ every five years to elect the House of Commons. The monarch selects ___ prime minister the person who commands a majority of support in the House of Commons.

37. Match the verbs with the nouns:

38. Fill in the blanks with appropriate words from the list below: support, policy, confidence, account, house, committee • The prime minister and other senior ministers form the Cabinet, which is the top-most decision making _______________. The ministers are accountable to the Parliament which they also sit in while the government is dependent on the Parliament for ______________ making. The government is expected to maintain the ______________ of the House of Commons since it requires its ______________ for the passing of primary legislations. If the government loses the confidence of the lower ______________, it is forced to either resign or a General Election is held. The members of Parliament have an opportunity to put the prime minister to _____________ during the Prime Minister’s Question Time.

39. Answer key • The prime minister and other senior ministers form the Cabinet, which is the top-most decision making COMMITTEE. The ministers are accountable to the Parliament which they also sit in while the government is dependent on the Parliament for POLICY making. The government is expected to maintain the CONFIDENCE of the House of Commons since it requires its SUPPORT for the passing of primary legislations. If the government loses the confidence of the lower HOUSE, it is forced to either resign or a General Election is held. The members of Parliament have an opportunity to put the prime minister to ACCOUNT during the Prime Minister’s Question Time.

40. Thank you for your attention!