2.  Legislature: supreme authority is Parliament  The Executive consists of: the Government, local authorities and public corporations  The Judiciary: the court system (hierarchy of courts)

3.  The Queen is head of State and an important symbol of national unity  Head of the executive  An integral part of the legislature  Commander-in-chief of the armed forces  The ‘supreme governor’ of the Church of England

4.  Britain is governed by Her Majesty’s Government in the name of the Queen  The Queen’s role: summoning, proroguing (discontinuing until the next session without dissolution) and dissolving Parliament; giving Royal Assent to Bills passed by Parliament  Appointment of important office holders

5.  As head of State, the Queen has the power to declare war and make peace, to recognise foreign states and governments, to conclude treaties

6.  The Queen – formal powers  The House of Commons – the supreme legislative body  The House of Lords

7.  To pass laws  To provide, by voting for taxation, the means of carrying on the work of government  To scrutinise government policy and administration  To debate major issues of the day

8.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qs- 9B3FRXCA&index=1&list=PLj3mInRJqIekAQ6v ggN7IpCySnv0IIOyV https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qs- 9B3FRXCA&index=1&list=PLj3mInRJqIekAQ6v ggN7IpCySnv0IIOyV

9.  92 elected hereditary peers and peeresses  Life peers  The Archbishops and Bishops of the Church of England

10.  An elected body  650 MPs directly elected by voters  General elections and by-elections  Annual salary and travel allowances  The chief officer is the Speaker elected by the Members

11.  A maximum duration of five years  Dissolved by the Queen  The life of a parliament is divided into sessions  Each session lasts for one year (beginning and ending in October or November) – 160 ‘sitting days’  Opens with the Queen’s speech, ends by prorogation

12.  The Government consists of the ministers appointed by the Crown on the recommendation of the Prime Minister

13.  The Cabinet consists of a small group of the most important ministers selected by the Prime Minister  Today the number is 23  The Cabinet determines, controls and integrates the policies of the government for submission to Parliament

14.  The Prime Minister is the head of the government and presides over meetings of the Cabinet  He consults and advises the Monarch on government business, supervises and co- ordinates the work of various ministries and departments

15.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmGCwi QvhH0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmGCwi QvhH0