Key term
WJEC A-Level Government and Politics 603-1979-3
The British Constitution
Topic overviewThe nature of the constitution: uncodified, unitary and flexibleStatute law as a source of the constitutionCommon law and works of constitutional authorityConstitutional conventionsParliamentary sovereigntyThe rule of lawParliamentary government and constitutional monarchyConstitutional reform since 1997The debate on a codified constitutionThe UK, the European Union and BrexitThe UK, NATO and the United Nations
The Judiciary and the Supreme Court
Topic overviewThe constitutional role of the Supreme CourtThe Constitutional Reform Act 2005 and the creation of the CourtThe Supreme Court as the highest court of appealThe separation of powers in the UKJudicial independenceJudicial neutrality and the appointment of judgesJudicial review and the doctrine of ultra viresSupreme Court rulings on constitutional mattersA separate legal jurisdiction for Wales
The UK Executive
Topic overviewThe core executiveThe roles of the Prime MinisterThe powers and resources of the Prime MinisterThe royal prerogativeThe composition of the CabinetThe roles and functions of the CabinetCollective ministerial responsibilityIndividual ministerial responsibilityPrime ministerial government and its limitsThe civil service
Parliament and the Accountability of Government
Topic overviewThe composition of the House of CommonsThe House of Lords: composition and powersThe functions of ParliamentThe legislative processPrivate members' bills and delegated legislationSelect committeesQuestions, debates and confidence in the governmentBackbench MPs and peersThe role of the OppositionParliamentary privilegeParliamentary sovereignty in practiceExecutive dominance and where power lies
Government and the Senedd in Wales
Topic overviewThe First Minister of WalesThe Welsh Government and its CabinetCollective and individual ministerial responsibility in WalesThe powers and resources of the Welsh GovernmentThe origins and structure of the SeneddThe composition and election of the SeneddThe legislative competence of the SeneddThe legislative process in the SeneddPlenary and the business of the SeneddSenedd committeesMembers of the Senedd and the OppositionDebates over the effectiveness of the Senedd
Devolution and the United Kingdom
Topic overviewThe nature and forms of devolutionThe origins of devolution in the UKThe Scottish Parliament and Scottish GovernmentThe Northern Ireland Assembly and ExecutiveDevolution in EnglandAsymmetry in the devolution settlementThe West Lothian question and English votes for English lawsFunding devolution and the Barnett formulaDevolution, sovereignty and the unionDebates over the future of the union
Citizenship and Rights
Topic overviewThe meaning of citizenshipGlobal citizenshipFreedom, equality and active citizenshipThe rule of law and protection under the lawThe rights of minoritiesPositive discrimination and positive actionThe sources of rights in the UKEquality legislation on race and genderFreedom of expression, association and religionPrivacy, liberty and the right to a fair trialConflicts between rightsDebates over a British Bill of Rights
The Protection of Human Rights
Topic overviewThe courts and the protection of rightsJudicial review: grounds and remediesJudicial review in practiceThe Universal Declaration of Human RightsThe European Convention on Human RightsThe European Court of Human RightsThe Human Rights Act 1998The Human Rights Act in the courtsEnforcing equality lawOmbudsmen and commissionersPressure and campaigning for rightsDebates over the protection of rights in the UK
Democracy and Participation
Electoral Systems in the UK
Topic overviewThe functions of elections and the language of electoral systemsFirst Past the Post: how it worksFirst Past the Post: advantages and criticismsThe Additional Member System and Senedd electionsThe Single Transferable VoteParty list systemsThe supplementary vote and the alternative voteProportionality, fairness and effects on party systemsCoalition and minority governmentKey elections in WalesReferendums in Wales and the UK
Voting Behaviour in the UK
Topic overviewThe sociological model and social classParty identification and partisan dealignmentThe rational choice modelThe valence model and governing competenceAge, gender, ethnicity and educationRegion, nation and voting in WalesElection campaigns and party leadersThe media and voting behaviourTurnout, tactical voting and volatility
Political Parties in Wales and the UK
Topic overviewThe functions of political partiesThe Labour Party: origins and ideologyThe Conservative Party: origins and ideologyThe Liberal Democrats and the centre groundPlaid Cymru and the Welsh party systemSmaller and minor partiesParty organisation and the role of membersLeadership selection in the main partiesCandidate selection and representationManifestos, platforms and the mandateParty funding, cash for influence and reform
Pressure Groups and Social Movements
Topic overviewPressure groups and how they differ from partiesSectional and promotional groupsInsider and outsider groupsAccess points in Wales and the UKLobbying and direct contact with decision-makersDirect action and public campaigningUsing the media and new technologiesFactors in pressure group successPressure groups and the health of democracySocial movements: nature, membership and methodsThe women's movement and the environmental movement
Liberalism
Topic overviewOrigins of liberal ideasHuman nature, reason and progressIndividualism, liberty and natural rightsToleration, pluralism and justiceThe social contract and the liberal stateConstitutionalism, the rule of law and liberal democracyNegative and positive freedomClassical liberalism and laissez-faire economicsModern liberalism and the enabling stateThe New Right and libertarian views of the marketEquality of opportunity and equality of outcomeLiberalism and Welsh political parties and movementsLiberal ideas in global politics
Conservatism
Topic overviewOrigins of conservative ideasHuman imperfection, pragmatism and traditionOrganic society, hierarchy and natural inequalityAuthority, order and propertyTraditional and one-nation conservatismAuthoritarian conservatismMoral conservatism, the family and the churchThe New Right: neo-liberalism and neo-conservatismConservative debates on immigration and integrationConservative debates on minority rights and welfareEconomic conservatism, the market and state interventionConservatism and Welsh political parties and movementsConservative ideas in global politics
Socialism and Communism
Topic overviewOrigins of socialist ideasHuman nature, community and cooperationClass, class conflict and the proletariatEquality and social justiceMarxism and historical materialismCommunism in theory and in practiceRevolutionary and parliamentary roads to socialismSocial democracy, revisionism and the Third WayDemocratic socialism and ethical socialismSocialist views of capitalismPublic ownership and the means of productionCollectivism and the redistribution of wealthSocialism and the Welsh labour movementSocialist ideas in global politics
Nationalism
Topic overviewOrigins of nationalist ideasDefining the nation and the nation stateNational consciousness and the role of historyLanguage, culture and national symbolsNational sovereignty and self-determinationCivic nationalismEthno-cultural nationalismLiberal nationalismConservative nationalismChauvinism, xenophobia and expansionist nationalismPolitical nationalism, citizenship and the stateSeparatism, secession and anti-colonial nationalismNationalism and Welsh political parties and movementsNationalist ideas in global politics
The US Constitution and Federalism
Topic overviewThe Declaration of Independence and the founding principlesWriting the Constitution and its compromisesSeparation of powers and checks and balancesThe amendment processEnumerated, implied and reserved powersTheories of federalismThe changing balance of federal and state powerFiscal federalism and federal grantsFederalism before the Supreme CourtDebates about the Constitution
Rights and Liberties in the USA
Topic overviewThe Bill of Rights: origins and importanceThe First Amendment: speech, press and assemblyThe First Amendment: religionThe Second Amendment and gun ownershipRights of the accused and due processThe death penalty and the Eighth AmendmentPrivacy and the ConstitutionThe Fourteenth Amendment and incorporationCivil rights and the struggle for racial equalityAffirmative action and contemporary equality debates
The US Congress
The US Presidency
Topic overviewThe constitutional office of PresidentThe powers of the PresidentThe President as chief executiveThe President and legislationThe President, foreign policy and the armed forcesExecutive orders and unilateral actionThe CabinetThe Executive Office of the PresidentConstraints on presidential powerThe imperial presidency debate
The US Supreme Court
Topic overviewThe constitutional role of the Supreme CourtJudicial review and Marbury v MadisonJurisdiction and how a case reaches the CourtNomination and appointment of justicesTenure and proposals for reformJudicial activism and judicial restraintOriginalism and the living ConstitutionPrecedent and legal reasoningThe Court and the protection of rightsThe political significance of the Court and its composition
US Elections and Voting Behaviour
Topic overviewThe invisible primaryPrimaries and caucusesThe national nominating conventionsThe ticket and the general election campaignThe electoral collegeCongressional and midterm electionsMoney in US electionsPACs, super-PACs and campaign finance lawThe media and social media in campaignsLong-term determinants of voting behaviourShort-term factors, swing states and independents
Political Parties in the USA
Topic overviewThe American political spectrumThe Democratic partyThe Republican partyFactions in the Republican partyFactions in the Democratic partyParty organisation and candidate-centred campaignsWhy two parties dominateThird parties and independent candidatesRealignment, decline and polarisation
Parliament and the Accountability of Government
- 12 subtopics
- 36 things to know
- AS Unit 1
What Parliament and the Accountability of Government covers
Parliament and the Accountability of Government is examined in AS Unit 1, Government in Wales and the United Kingdom — the government of the UK. It covers the composition of the House of Commons, the House of Lords: composition and powers, the functions of Parliament, the legislative process, private members' bills and delegated legislation, select committees, questions, debates and confidence in the government, backbench MPs and peers, the role of the Opposition, parliamentary privilege, parliamentary sovereignty in practice and executive dominance and where power lies.
Where it is assessed
AS Unit 1
Government in Wales and the United Kingdom.
Check the WJEC specification ↗The 12 subtopics
Each one has its own page.
- The composition of the House of CommonsMaximum length of a Parliament, main duties of the Speaker and role of the whips in the Commons.Open →
- The House of Lords: composition and powersThree categories of member in the House of Lords and revising role of the House of Lords.Open →
- The functions of ParliamentFive main functions of Parliament, representative function and redress of grievances.Open →
- The legislative processGreen paper, white paper and ping pong.Open →
- Private members' bills and delegated legislationThree routes by which a backbencher can introduce a bill, talking out a bill and delegated legislation.Open →
- Select committeesSelect committee, practical limit on those powers and liaison Committee.Open →
- Questions, debates and confidence in the governmentPrime Minister's Questions, departmental question time and ministerial statement.Open →
- Backbench MPs and peersFour ways a backbench MP can influence government, payroll vote and backbench rebellion.Open →
- The role of the OppositionHer Majesty's Loyal Opposition, main functions of the official Opposition and shadow cabinet.Open →
- Parliamentary privilegeParliamentary privilege, exclusive cognisance and sub judice rule.Open →
- Parliamentary sovereignty in practiceParliamentary sovereignty and difference between the theory and the practice of sovereignty.Open →
- Executive dominance and where power liesPhrase elective dictatorship, three checks that do restrain a UK government and westminster model of where power lies.Open →
What you need to know
Answer each one before you reveal it.
Your recallNot started
Key term
Sum up the case that the elective dictatorship thesis is overstated.
Numbers
How many constituencies does Wales return to the House of Commons?
Key term
What are the categories of member in the House of Lords?
Key term
State the five main functions of Parliament.
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What is a green paper?
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What is a private members' bill?
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What is a select committee?
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What is Prime Minister's Questions?
Key term
Who is a backbencher?
Evaluation
What formal advantages does the Leader of the Opposition enjoy in the Commons?
Numbers
Which historic statute guarantees freedom of speech in Parliament?
Numbers
What is the maximum length of a Parliament?
Numbers
Which Act allowed the creation of life peers?
Key term
What does the legislative function involve?
Key term
What is a white paper?
Key term
Name the three routes by which a backbencher can introduce a bill.
Numbers
When were the departmental select committees established?
Key term
How many questions does the Leader of the Opposition have at Prime Minister's Questions?
Key term
What is the payroll vote?
Key term
What is Short money?
Key term
What protection does freedom of speech in Parliament give a member?
Key term
What does parliamentary sovereignty mean for the making of law?
Numbers
Who coined the phrase elective dictatorship, and when?
Key term
How is the Speaker of the House of Commons chosen?
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What is a crossbencher?
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What is meant by the representative function?
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What happens at first reading?
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What is talking out a bill?
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How many members does a departmental select committee usually have?
Evaluation
Give one criticism of Prime Minister's Questions.
Key term
Why does the payroll vote matter to the independence of the Commons?
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Why is public funding for opposition parties justified?
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What is exclusive cognisance?
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Why do critics say sovereignty rests with the executive in practice?
Key term
How does the electoral system contribute to executive dominance?
Take Parliament and the Accountability of Government further
The same content, four other ways.
Questions from this topic
Each one with the model answer underneath.
- 1
How many members does the House of Commons have?
Model answer
It has 650 members, each returned by a single constituency.
- 2
By which system are members of the House of Commons elected?
Model answer
By first past the post, in which the candidate with the most votes in a constituency wins the seat.
- 3
How many constituencies does Wales return to the House of Commons?
Model answer
Wales returns 32 members, reduced from 40 by the boundary review completed in 2023.
- 4
What is the maximum length of a Parliament?
Model answer
Five years: under the Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Act 2022, a Parliament dissolves automatically five years after the day it first met, a limit first set by the Parliament Act 1911.
- 5
How is the Speaker of the House of Commons chosen?
Model answer
Members elect the Speaker by secret ballot, and the successful candidate then gives up party allegiance.
- 6
What are the main duties of the Speaker?
Model answer
The Speaker chairs debate impartially, calls members to speak, rules on procedure and protects the rights of the House and of minority parties.
What is inside Levo
Six ways to work the same material.
Parliament and the Accountability of Government revision questions
- What does Parliament and the Accountability of Government cover in WJEC A-Level Government and Politics?
- 12 subtopics: the composition of the house of commons, the house of lords: composition and powers, the functions of parliament, the legislative process, private members' bills and delegated legislation, select committees, questions, debates and confidence in the government, backbench mps and peers, the role of the opposition, parliamentary privilege, parliamentary sovereignty in practice and executive dominance and where power lies. Each one has its own page with questions and model answers.
- How is Parliament and the Accountability of Government organised?
- By the WJEC 603-1979-3 specification, subtopic by subtopic, so it matches the order you are taught it in.
Every question in Parliament and the Accountability of Government, on a schedule.
Attempt a question from memory, write the correct version, then attempt it again. Levo records the jump between your first attempt and your last, and brings each question back on the day you are due to forget it.
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