Lesson 3.1.1.3.1

3.1.1.3.1 The Prime Minister and cabinet: policy making and power Quiz: AQA Politics, Unit 1

20 questions

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Lesson 3.1.1.3.1, The Prime Minister and cabinet: policy making and power: 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 does the term primus inter pares mean when applied to the Prime Minister?

    • Head of state, meaning the PM is the constitutional monarch's chief adviser
    • First among equals, meaning the PM leads the cabinet but is formally one of its members
    • Chief judge, meaning the PM sits as the final judicial authority in the UK
    • Ruler over all, meaning the PM has unlimited power over cabinet decisions

  2. What is the inner cabinet?

    • The group of civil servants who advise the cabinet on routine administration
    • A smaller group of senior ministers who take the most important decisions within the cabinet
    • The ministers who are not members of the House of Commons or the House of Lords
    • A committee of the Lords that reviews all cabinet appointments before they are confirmed

  3. What are cabinet committees used for?

    • Hearing appeals against decisions of the Supreme Court on constitutional issues
    • Approving the Queen's Speech before it is read to Parliament each year
    • Selecting the members of the House of Commons who will serve as ministers
    • Detailed consideration of specific policy areas

  4. Which term describes the central executive machinery around the PM, including Downing Street and the Cabinet Office?

    • The legislative chamber
    • The devolved administration
    • The judicial committee
    • The core executive

  5. Which factor increases the PM's power over policy making?

    • A House of Lords that is able to veto every decision taken by the PM
    • A large parliamentary majority
    • A divided cabinet in which every minister holds an independent power base
    • A frequent need to seek agreement from the Supreme Court before acting

  6. The poll tax was introduced in 1990. What does this example illustrate about the power of the PM and cabinet?

    • The poll tax was decided by a national referendum before it was introduced
    • The government could push through a controversial policy despite widespread opposition and later reverse it
    • The cabinet had no ability to shape policy and was overruled by the Lords
    • The PM was forced to resign immediately after it was proposed by ministers

  7. The 2003 invasion of Iraq is used as an example of executive power. Which point best supports this?

    • The PM and a small group of ministers took a decision that committed the UK to military action
    • The invasion was approved by a national referendum held before the military action
    • The cabinet was not involved at all and the decision was taken by the Supreme Court
    • Parliament voted to refuse the invasion, and the government was forced to withdraw

  8. Which factor is most important in determining how much influence the cabinet has over policy?

    • The age of the monarch and their willingness to attend cabinet meetings
    • The number of cabinet ministers who are members of the House of Lords
    • The relationship between the PM and the cabinet
    • The cabinet's legal authority to override decisions of the courts

  9. Why is the PM's power sometimes described as 'presidential'?

    • The PM is the head of state and commands the armed forces directly
    • The PM can dominate the government and set the agenda, appearing more like a president than a first among equals
    • The PM has the same legal powers as the US president, including a formal veto
    • The PM is directly elected by the public in a national ballot every four years

  10. Which argument best evaluates the view that the PM is dominant over the cabinet?

    • Strong PMs often dominate, but cabinet opposition or a weak party position can constrain them, so dominance depends on circumstances
    • Neither the PM nor the cabinet has any influence because policy is set by civil servants
    • The cabinet is always dominant because the PM can be removed by any single minister
    • The PM is always dominant because the cabinet has no formal powers of any kind

  11. Which example best shows a PM using cabinet structures to manage policy making?

    • Delegating a complex policy area to a cabinet committee
    • Calling a referendum on every policy before any decision can be taken by the cabinet
    • Asking the House of Lords to draft the cabinet's agenda for each weekly meeting
    • Allowing the monarch to chair the cabinet meeting and set its agenda in advance

  12. What is a limitation on the PM's power to dictate events?

    • The PM must obtain written consent from every MP before any decision is made
    • Major policy shifts can prompt cabinet resignations
    • The PM can be legally removed by the Supreme Court if a single policy is unpopular
    • The PM cannot make any decisions until the House of Lords has approved the agenda

  13. A PM faces a cabinet split over a major policy. Which outcome best reflects the constraints described in the specification?

    • The PM may need to compromise, drop the policy
    • The House of Lords automatically decides the policy in favour of the cabinet majority
    • The monarch takes over policy making until the cabinet reaches an agreed position
    • The PM must immediately dismiss every minister who disagrees, as the law requires it

  14. Which statement about the relationship between the PM and Parliament is most accurate?

    • The PM is accountable only to the Supreme Court, which reviews all policy decisions
    • The PM is accountable only to the monarch, who can dismiss the government at will
    • The PM has no accountability because the government is directly elected by the public
    • The PM is accountable to Parliament

  15. Which judgement best assesses the effect of the Iraq and poll tax examples on the debate about PM power?

    • They show that governments can impose major policies, but both also reveal limits when opposition
    • They prove that the PM always controls policy and that cabinet opinion has no effect at all
    • They show that only referendums can change policy, so PM power is largely irrelevant
    • They prove that Parliament has no role in policy making and that civil servants decide everything

  16. Which statement about the 1945 to 1997 and post-1997 periods is accurate for this specification?

    • Students study only the 1997 general election, as it is the sole example of PM power
    • Students must study one example of PM and cabinet power from each period to show change or continuity
    • Students must study only examples from after 2010, because earlier cases are not in the specification
    • Students study only the period before 1945, because later examples are not legally relevant

  17. Which element best describes how policy is made at the centre of UK government?

    • Policy is made entirely by local councils that then report to the Supreme Court
    • Policy is made by a single national committee of the Commons that meets once a year
    • The PM, cabinet, cabinet committees and departments jointly develop and approve policy
    • Policy is made by the monarch alone after consultation with the Lords only

  18. Why is the dominance of the PM and cabinet a concern for parliamentary government?

    • It can weaken Parliament's ability to control the executive, especially when the government has a large majority
    • It makes the courts responsible for drafting all of the government's policy decisions
    • It requires the monarch to approve every decision before it takes effect in law
    • It means Parliament is unable to pass any legislation at all, which is unconstitutional

  19. Which evaluation best supports the claim that PM power is shaped by circumstances?

    • Power depends only on the number of years the PM has served in office, which is set by law
    • Power is determined by the monarch, who decides the scope of the PM's authority each year
    • Power is fixed by statute and does not vary between different governments or periods
    • Power depends on party majority, leadership popularity and events, so the same PM can be strong at one time and weak at another

  20. Which example shows the executive's power to shape events by taking a decision that committed the nation?

    • The 1911 Parliament Act, which reduced the delaying power of the Lords
    • The 2003 invasion of Iraq, decided by the PM
    • The 1954 resignation of Sir Thomas Dugdale over the Crichel Down affair
    • The 2016 resignation of Iain Duncan Smith over welfare reform

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