Unit 2: The Legislative Branch of the Government

In the United Kingdom

GLOSSARY

Study the words and word combinations.

GREAT BRITAIN constitutional monarchy “unwritten” constitution Constitutional Conventions Common Law Statutory (statute) law a parliament bill government (sponsored) initiated bill a Private bill reading of a bill to draft a bill examine a proposal, a bill present a proposal to revise, amend a bill, legislation to initiate (introduce, propose, sponsor, bring in) a bill, legislation to place a bill (before the Queen) for signature debate a bill to delay (disapprove of, defeat, oppose) a bill to pass a bill (The House of Commons) to pass legislation (The House of L.) chamber (syn. House) lower (upper) chamber a one (two) chamber parliament The House of Commons (the Commons) to enter the House to attend the House to preside the House to control proceedings the State Opening of Parliament to dissolve Parliament dissolution of Parliament a hung Parliament session of Parliament Parliament is in session meeting of Parliament to sit in Parliament/to have a seat in Parliament to stand (run) for Parliament question time to scrutinise the work, an activity to act as a check on government conduct inquiries into to subject an action to public scrutiny to be held to account (by Parliament) Standing Committees the departmental Select Committees The Lord Chancellor (or the Lord Speaker) to have an important judicial role the highest Court of Appeal allowances to cover attendance Archbishops Bishops hereditary peers crossbench groups whip departmental spokesman to regulate itself to pass a resolution/ a vote of 'no confidence'

Конституционная монархия «Неписанная» конституция конституционные обычаи (соглашения) общее право, основанное на прецеденте статутное право, «писаный» закон, принятый Парламентом законопроект, Парламентский билль (законопроект) правительственный законопроект законопроект, внесенный на рассмотрение рядовым членом Парламента слушание законопроекта составлять законопроект изучать законопроект предоставлять проект изменять (вносить поправки) в законопроект вносить законопроект на рассмотрение представить законопроект на подпись (королеве) вести дебаты по законопроекту затягивать, задерживать; не одобрять; отклонять; воспрепятствовать законопроекту передавать законопроект (Палата Общин) утвердить закон (Палата Лордов) Палата Парламента нижняя (верхняя) Палата одно (двух) палатный Парламент Палата Общин (нижняя Палата в Британском Парламенте) стать членом Парламента присутствовать на заседании председательствовать в палате руководить заседаниями официальное открытие сессии парламента распускать Парламент роспуск Парламента ситуация в парламенте, когда ни одна из представленных в нем партий не имеет необходимого большинства для формирования правительства; «подвешенный» парламент сессия Парламента в Парламенте идут заседания заседание Парламента быть членом Парламента выставить свою кандидатуру в Парламент время, отведенное на вопросы тщательно проверять работу контролировать правительство проводить расследования осуществлять общественный контроль над действием быть подотчетно парламенту Постоянный комитет ведомственные Специальные Комитеты Лорд-канцлер (Спикер Палаты Лордов) играть важную роль в судебной системе высшая апелляционная инстанция сумма на покрытие расходов, связанных с посещаемостью архиепископ епископ наследственные пэры группы «независимых» организатор работы палаты представитель по делам министерства работать по принципу самоуправления вынести вотум недоверия правительству

QUESTIONS

Answer the following questions on the legislature of the United Kingdom.

Strategy Points: how to provide the best answer to the question

• Make use of various sources of information (text-books, multimedia materials, the Internet, etc) to obtain necessary data, facts, information

• Use appropriate vocabulary when answering a question (refer to Glossary)

• Use a variety of vocabulary and grammatical structures.

• Make sure you keep to the topic.

1. What is the meaning of a constitutional monarchy?

2. Why is the British Constitution one of the most notable features of the British system of government?

3. What are the sources of the British Constitution?

4. What are the major activities of Parliament in Britain?

5. In what way do MPs organise their work?

6. What are the functions of the party whips?

7. What does the legislative activity of the House of Common consist of?

8. What controlling function is the House of Commons entitled to?

9. What are the powers of the Speaker in the House?

10. What is the role of the Select Committees?

11. When does the Queen go to the House of Parliament?

12. What powers are vested in the House of Lords?

13. What is the composition of the House of Lords?

14. How is the work in the House of Lords organized?

15. What does the effectiveness of the party system in Parliament rest on?

16. What are the aims of the Opposition in Parliament?

PRESENTATION SKILLS

Strategy Points: how to make the best presentation

• Make use of various sources of information (text-books, multimedia materials, the Internet, etc) to obtain necessary data, facts, information

• Avoid making your presentation purely factual or theoretical, make references to present actual situations, people, events, etc

• Use appropriate vocabulary (refer to Glossary)as well as a variety of vocabulary and grammatical structures.

• You must not read your source material when reporting the ideas in discussion,.

• Focus on getting the main idea across clearly.

• Check that you have made yourself clear, an eye-contact with the listeners is a must.

• Involve the audience in the topic through your own questions, examples, jokes, etc

• Arrange the information in the written form.

1. The type of government in Great Britain. Sources of the British Constitution.

2. The House of Commons: its current composition, its leaders, the incumbent Speaker, the layout of the chamber (http://services.parliament.uk/)

3. The House of Commons: the current activity - Bills currently before Chamber, issues under discussion, recent decisions

4. The House of Lords: its composition, the Lord Speaker, current activity, issues under discussion, recent decisions

5. The Recent Reforms of the House of Lords: causes, changes in composition.

6. a Bill in progress: provide an example of a particular bill before Parliament, its going through the stages (http://services.parliament.uk/bills/)

7. The devolution of powers: Scottish Parliament and The New Northern Ireland Assembly.

8. Future Referendum on Scottish Independence (2014-2015).

9. The Civil Service: chief strength and main weakness, interaction and/or cooperation with politicians.