Lesson 3.1.1.1

3.1.1.1 The nature and sources of the British Constitution Quiz: AQA Politics, Unit 1

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson 3.1.1.1, The nature and sources of the British Constitution: 20 multiple choice questions for the AQA Politics (7152), Unit 1: Government and politics of the UK, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. What best describes the UK constitution?

    • Codified in the Human Rights Act 1998 and entrenched against change
    • Codified in a single document approved by a national referendum
    • Uncodified, drawn from statute, common law, conventions
    • Written in one statute that can be amended only by a two-thirds majority

  2. Which document, dated 1215, is an early source of rights and limited the power of the king?

    • Parliament Act
    • Act of Settlement
    • Bill of Rights
    • Magna Carta

  3. What was a key effect of the Bill of Rights 1689?

    • It created the Supreme Court as the highest court of appeal
    • It established universal male suffrage for elections to the Commons
    • It limited the powers of the monarch
    • It transferred control of the armed forces from Parliament to the Crown

  4. Which statement about the Act of Settlement 1701 is accurate?

    • It settled a Protestant succession to the throne
    • It granted the Scottish Parliament the power to levy its own taxes
    • It abolished the House of Lords as a legislative chamber
    • It introduced the first secret ballot for parliamentary elections

  5. What did the Parliament Acts of 1911 and 1949 do?

    • They made the Prime Minister directly elected by the public
    • They limited the power of the House of Lords to delay
    • They created the Parliament of the United Kingdom by merging England and Scotland
    • They gave the House of Lords a veto over all money bills from the Commons

  6. What does the principle of parliamentary sovereignty mean?

    • Parliament can make or unmake any law, and no other body can override it
    • Parliament must consult the monarch before passing any new legislation
    • The courts can strike down any Act that conflicts with a written constitution
    • Parliament is limited to passing laws that have been approved in a referendum

  7. What is the royal prerogative?

    • A right of the monarch to appoint judges without any ministerial advice
    • Powers of the monarch, exercised in practice by ministers, such as declaring war
    • Powers granted to the monarch by statute that can only be used with a Commons vote
    • A right of the monarch to dissolve the House of Lords at any time

  8. A constitutional convention is best described as:

    • A written ruling by the Supreme Court that binds all future governments
    • An established political practice that is followed but is not legally enforceable
    • An international treaty that the UK is legally required to follow
    • A statute that sets out the procedure for changing the constitution

  9. Which example is a constitutional convention rather than a statute?

    • The Human Rights Act 1998 requires courts to interpret legislation compatibly with Convention rights
    • Scottish Parliament members are elected using the additional member system
    • The maximum length of a Parliament is five years under the Parliament Act 1911
    • The monarch does not refuse royal assent to a bill passed by Parliament

  10. Which 1998 measure is an example of a constitutional change since 1997?

    • The Human Rights Act 1998, which incorporated the European Convention on Human Rights into UK law
    • The Parliament Act 1949, which reduced the delaying power of the House of Lords
    • The Bill of Rights 1689, which limited the powers of the monarch
    • The Representation of the People Act 1918, which extended the vote to some women

  11. What is the main effect of the Human Rights Act 1998 on Acts of Parliament?

    • Courts can issue a declaration of incompatibility but cannot strike down an Act
    • Parliament must obtain a referendum before passing legislation affecting rights
    • Ministers are legally required to ignore any Act that conflicts with the Convention
    • Courts can strike down any Act of Parliament that breaches the Convention rights

  12. Which is an example of a collective right?

    • The right of an individual to freedom of religious belief
    • The right to a fair trial for an individual accused of a crime
    • The right of an individual to privacy in their home
    • The freedom to join a trade union with other workers

  13. Which of the following is an authoritative opinion as a source of the UK constitution?

    • The Human Rights Act 1998, which is an Act of Parliament
    • The common law rule that a person is innocent until proven guilty
    • Erskine May's Parliamentary Practice, which sets out the procedures of Parliament
    • The Magna Carta of 1215, which is a statute still in force

  14. An argument that an uncodified constitution offers flexibility but weaker protection for rights is best supported by:

    • Rights are fixed permanently by the common law and cannot be altered
    • Rights are protected by the monarch, who can veto any change to them
    • Rights can be changed by an ordinary Act passed by a simple Commons majority
    • Rights are entrenched in a document that requires a national referendum to alter

  15. Which point best limits the idea of parliamentary sovereignty in practice?

    • Political and legal pressures, including the Human Rights Act and public opinion, constrain what Parliament is likely to do
    • The monarch can refuse to give royal assent to a bill after it passes both Houses
    • The Supreme Court can legally repeal any Act that it considers unjust or undemocratic
    • The House of Lords can permanently veto any bill that reduces the rights of citizens

  16. Which best evaluates the Parliament Acts 1911 and 1949 for parliamentary sovereignty?

    • They transferred legislative authority to the devolved assemblies in the UK
    • They gave the Lords equal legislative power with the Commons on all money bills
    • They placed the monarch above Parliament in matters of finance and taxation
    • They strengthened the elected Commons over the Lords, reinforcing the supremacy of the elected chamber

  17. Which claim about Magna Carta is best supported by the historical evidence?

    • It gave every adult male the right to vote in parliamentary elections of the period
    • It established the House of Commons as a separate chamber of Parliament
    • It established the principle that the monarch was bound by law
    • It created a written constitution that remained the sole source of UK law until 1689

  18. Which combination best describes how the UK constitution changes?

    • By ordinary statute, common law development and changing conventions
    • By a two-thirds majority in both Houses of Parliament followed by a referendum
    • By a decision of the Supreme Court that is binding on all future Parliaments
    • By a written amendment approved by the monarch and both chambers together

  19. Which best explains why the Bill of Rights 1689 matters for the balance of power?

    • It gave the courts the power to set aside Acts of Parliament that were unfair
    • It shows Parliament securing legal limits on the Crown
    • It created the modern cabinet system with collective responsibility to Parliament
    • It made the monarch's powers unlimited and placed Parliament under royal control

  20. Which feature of the UK constitution means it can be changed by ordinary legislation?

    • It has no special entrenched amending procedure
    • It can be changed only by a national referendum in every nation
    • It is protected by a two-thirds vote in the House of Lords
    • It is entrenched in the Human Rights Act 1998, which cannot be repealed

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