Guides

The Mental Health Act is the central piece of mental health legislation that lays out the circumstances that justify people being 'sectioned' in England and Wales.Read More

The Ministerial Code requires Ministers to uphold the seven principles of public life: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership.Read More

Ministerial Statements are either delivered in writing, or orally in person by the relevant Government Minister, appearing at the Dispatch Box in the Commons Chamber.Read More

Members of Parliament and Peers appointed by the Prime Minister to the Government are known as Ministers of the Crown. All Ministers, of whatever rank, have a Private Office of four or more civil servants assigned to him or her on appointment.Read More

The Modern Slavery Act introduced tougher penalties on the perpetrators of modern slavery, as well as more extensive support for its victims. At the time of its introduction, it was suggested that as many as 13,000 people were trapped in forced labour in the UK. Read More

Money Bills are Bills that deal solely with expenditure. The 'privilege' of the Commons on financial arrangements has long been accepted. The Commons Speaker designates a Bill, a Money Bill, before it arrives in the Lords.Read More

With the repeal of the Fixed Term Parliament Act, Boris Johnson will have the power to call a General Election prior to May 2024 should he wish to do so. Israel and Japan also both allow their governments to decide the next election date.Read More

The Northern Ireland Assembly has power to legislate in a wide range of areas that are not explicitly reserved to Westminster, and to appoint the Northern Ireland Executive.  The Assembly sits at the Parliament Buildings at Stormont in the east of Belfast.Read More

Each Government Department's Ministers face oral questioning at least once every four weeks in the House of Commons. Questions on the Order Paper not reached in the time allowed receive a written answer.Read More

The Parliament Act allows for a Bill to become law without the agreement of the Lords when certain conditions have been met. The Bill must have been introduced and passed by the Commons in two consecutive Sessions, with the Lords on both occasions actively preventing its passage.Read More

Each government department has a Parliamentary Branch. The Branch is charged with managing the department's relations with the House of Commons and the House of Lords.Read More

Often referred to as a Minister's 'eyes and ears in Parliament', or as a simple 'bag carrier', the Parliamentary Private Secretary supports a particular government minister in his or her duties. It is the first rung on the ministerial ladder for a backbench MP.Read More

Plaid Cymru (the Party of Wales) is a Welsh Nationalist party that sits on the left of the political spectrum. The party is far less of an electoral force than its Scottish counterpart, polling around 10% of the Welsh vote in recent General Elections.Read More

Pluralism is a practice and political philosophy which maintains that the participation of diverse groups in society is both necessary and good. Pluralism encourages the expression and inclusion of many voices in order to promote democracy.Read More

An overview of the political exposed person regime in the UK? Who is a politically exposed person, what are the additional financial requirements they face?Read More

Draft Bills are normally subjected to pre-legislative scrutiny at the hands of a joint-committee of MPs and peers formed for that purpose.Read More

A Pressure Group is an organised group united in the promotion of a common cause, with the aim of influencing government policy. The former Home Secretary, Douglas Hurd, once famously described Pressure Groups as ‘serpents that strangle efficient government’.Read More

Primary legislation (Bills and Acts) is split into two categories - Public Bills and Private Bills (with Hybrid Bills in a sub-category between the two).Read More

The leader of the largest party in the House of Commons is by convention asked by the Monarch to be Prime Minister and to form a government in a ceremony known anachronistically as the 'kissing of the hands. The Prime Minister has a wide range of direct powers.Read More