Lesson 3.1.1.2.1

3.1.1.2.1 Parliament: scrutiny of the executive and legislation Quiz: AQA Politics, Unit 1

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

In partnership with Revision Ninja

Lesson 3.1.1.2.1, Parliament: scrutiny of the executive and legislation: 20 multiple choice questions for the AQA Politics (7152), Unit 1: Government and politics of the UK, written with Revision Ninja.

Host it live on the board and students join with a game code on their own devices, or revise alone with Free Play. The answers are revealed in the game.

Host this setFree Play

The 20 questions

  1. What is the main purpose of parliamentary scrutiny of the executive?

    • To appoint the judges who will hear challenges to government decisions
    • To choose the Prime Minister directly from among the elected members
    • To draft all government legislation before it is introduced to the House
    • To hold government to account by questioning ministers

  2. Which body in the Commons conducts detailed examination of government departments and policy?

    • Select Committees
    • The Privy Council
    • The Cabinet Office
    • The Speaker's Chair

  3. What is the role of the opposition in Parliament?

    • To approve the appointment of cabinet ministers by the monarch
    • To form the government when the governing party loses its majority
    • To pass private members' bills without any government support
    • To question the government, offer alternative policies

  4. What is a Commons debate on a bill's second reading primarily about?

    • The final wording of every clause, which is settled at this stage
    • The allocation of ministerial salaries that the bill will fund
    • Whether the monarch should give royal assent to the bill
    • The general principles of the bill, debated before it moves to detailed committee scrutiny

  5. Which term describes Parliament's power to question ministers and demand information on government action?

    • Redress of grievances through questioning of the executive
    • Prorogation of Parliament by the Prime Minister before recess
    • Royal assent given to the government's annual spending plans
    • Parliamentary privilege over the publication of Hansard reports

  6. Which factor limits how far Parliament can influence government decisions?

    • Party discipline allows the government to routinely outvote the opposition
    • The House of Lords has the power to block every bill from the Commons indefinitely
    • Ministers are legally forbidden from answering questions from opposition members
    • The Speaker must approve all government policy before it is announced publicly

  7. Why is the membership of Select Committees often criticised?

    • Membership is decided by a public vote of all the constituents in each seat
    • Membership is set by the monarch on the advice of the Lord Chancellor
    • Membership is restricted to members of the House of Lords who have served before
    • Membership is largely controlled by party whips, which can weaken independent scrutiny

  8. A government minister refuses a Select Committee request for evidence. Which point best supports the view that scrutiny is limited?

    • The Speaker can overturn any committee decision by a simple written instruction
    • Committees can only meet in the House of Lords and cannot examine the executive
    • Government control of civil servants' appearances before committees can restrict the evidence Parliament receives
    • Committees have no formal powers to summon any witness whatsoever to give evidence

  9. Which stage of the legislative process takes place in a public standing committee after second reading?

    • A ceremonial reading of the bill's title in the House of Lords
    • Introduction of the bill to Parliament by a private member
    • Final approval of the bill by the monarch before it becomes an Act
    • Detailed examination of each clause and amendments to the bill

  10. What is meant by parliamentary debate and the legislative process in the Lords?

    • The Lords initiate all money bills and the Commons may only comment on them
    • The Lords hold the final vote on the budget before it is sent to the monarch
    • The Lords can permanently veto any government bill with a simple majority
    • The Lords revise and scrutinise bills, often in detail, but cannot block a Commons bill indefinitely

  11. Which of these is a function of parliamentary committees?

    • Drafting the Queen's speech and approving its final text before it is read
    • Selecting the cabinet ministers who will serve in the next government
    • Taking evidence, examining policy and producing reports that can influence government
    • Electing the Prime Minister from among the members of the governing party

  12. Which Parliament function is most closely linked to the power of the purse?

    • Setting the rules that govern local council elections across the UK
    • Selecting judges for the Supreme Court through a public nomination process
    • Approving the appointment of ambassadors through a formal Lords hearing
    • Scrutiny of government spending through financial committees

  13. A government with a large majority introduces a controversial bill. What is the most likely outcome of Commons scrutiny?

    • The bill becomes law only after a national referendum held within six months
    • The bill is automatically rejected because scrutiny always defeats major legislation
    • The bill is referred to the courts, which must approve it before it can progress
    • The bill is likely to pass, because party discipline usually secures the majority needed

  14. Which evaluation best explains why scrutiny of the executive is sometimes weak in practice?

    • Committee reports are kept secret and can never be read by MPs or the public
    • Strong party loyalty and whipping can mean MPs vote with the government despite concerns raised in committees
    • Scrutiny is conducted only by the monarch, who rarely attends sessions of either House
    • MPs are forbidden from speaking in debates on any government bill under the rules of the House

  15. Which statement about interactions between Parliament and other branches of government is most accurate?

    • The courts may legislate on policy matters provided that Parliament has been consulted first
    • Parliament scrutinises the executive, and courts review the lawfulness of its actions
    • The executive can pass legislation independently of Parliament using only ministerial orders
    • Parliament has no relationship with the courts because they operate under separate legal systems

  16. Which best describes the effect of the opposition in Parliament's work?

    • It provides a challenge to government policy and helps expose weaknesses in proposals
    • It can overturn Acts of Parliament by a simple vote in the Commons chamber
    • It has the power to appoint the Prime Minister if the governing party loses a single vote
    • It controls the agenda of the House of Lords, which is set by the opposition leader

  17. Which claim about legislation in the Commons is most accurate?

    • Most bills are introduced by the government
    • Bills can only be introduced by private members and never by the government
    • All bills are drafted by the Supreme Court before they are presented to Parliament
    • Most bills are introduced by the monarch and must be approved by the Lords first

  18. What is a key function of the Commons Select Committee system?

    • Selecting the members of the cabinet from among the backbench MPs each year
    • Approving the monarch's annual speech before it is delivered in the Lords
    • Scrutinising the work of government departments
    • Electing the Speaker of the House of Commons at the start of each Parliament

  19. What is a bill's third reading in the Commons?

    • The royal assent given by the monarch to a bill that has already become law
    • A final debate and vote on the bill as amended before it passes to the other House
    • The first formal introduction of the bill to the House by its sponsoring minister
    • The detailed committee examination of each clause in the bill line by line

  20. Why might a government with a large majority still face effective scrutiny?

    • Select Committees and debate can expose weaknesses even when the government wins the final vote
    • Large majorities always mean that the government must withdraw every bill it introduces
    • Large majorities allow the Lords to override the Commons on every government bill
    • Large majorities prevent MPs from speaking in debates on the government's legislation

All AQA Politics quizzes