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NCTJ Public Affairs Revision Definitions: Key Concepts and UK Governance - Prof. Shawn, Exams of Public Law

University of Fort HarePublic Law
Prof. Ian Shawn

A concise overview of key definitions and concepts relevant to nctj public affairs. It covers topics such as collective and individual ministerial responsibility, the role of backbench mps, party discipline, uk general election voting requirements, and various aspects of local government including election cycles, electoral systems, and council tax. The document also touches on the budget process, taxation, and the functions of different types of local authorities, offering a foundational understanding of uk governance and public administration. It is useful for students and professionals seeking a quick reference guide to essential public affairs terminology and processes. Well-organized and provides clear explanations, making it a valuable resource for exam preparation and general knowledge enhancement.

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2025/2026

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NCTJ PUBLIC AFFAIRS REVISION DEFINITIONS #17
Collective responsibility - correct answer • All government ministers must publicly
support government policy.
• They must resign if they do not.
Individual ministerial responsibility - correct answer • If something goes wrong in their
individual department, a minister should resign.
E.g. Chris Grayling, Minister for Transport, should resign but hasn't.
Backbench mps - correct answer • A backbench MP is an MP who is not a member of
the governmen or the shadow opposition.
E.g. Robert Halfon for Harlow
Responsibilities of backbench mps - correct answer • Represent their constituents.
• They take part in debates and votes in Parliament.
• Hold surgeries where constituents can bring up issues they have.
• Backbench mps can put questions to ministers.
• Some are members of select committees (which are linked to government
departments, e.g. Robert Halfon is the Chair of the Education Select Committee).
• Backbench mps would normally support their government, as they take the
government whip.
• Backbench mps currently have taken control of Parliament and what's going on.
Party discipline - correct answer • Party discipline is enforced by the whips system.
• The large parties have a chief whip.
• A chief whip has the responsibility to keep all the members of the party in order and
ensure they vote the correct way.
• Every week the mps will receive a letter with the events of parliament.
They are marked with one line, two lines or three lines.
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NCTJ PUBLIC AFFAIRS REVISION DEFINITIONS

Collective responsibility - correct answer • All government ministers must publicly support government policy.

  • They must resign if they do not. Individual ministerial responsibility - correct answer • If something goes wrong in their individual department, a minister should resign. E.g. Chris Grayling, Minister for Transport, should resign but hasn't. Backbench mps - correct answer • A backbench MP is an MP who is not a member of the governmen or the shadow opposition. E.g. Robert Halfon for Harlow Responsibilities of backbench mps - correct answer • Represent their constituents.
  • They take part in debates and votes in Parliament.
  • Hold surgeries where constituents can bring up issues they have.
  • Backbench mps can put questions to ministers.
  • Some are members of select committees (which are linked to government departments, e.g. Robert Halfon is the Chair of the Education Select Committee).
  • Backbench mps would normally support their government, as they take the government whip.
  • Backbench mps currently have taken control of Parliament and what's going on. Party discipline - correct answer • Party discipline is enforced by the whips system.
  • The large parties have a chief whip.
  • A chief whip has the responsibility to keep all the members of the party in order and ensure they vote the correct way.
  • Every week the mps will receive a letter with the events of parliament. They are marked with one line, two lines or three lines.

Three lines important events that the mps MUST attend, although recently they have been ignored. UK general election voting requirements - correct answer • Aged 18+

  • Resident in the UK.
  • UK, Irish or Commonwealth citizen.
  • Registered on the electoral register. Voting bans - correct answer A person can be banned from voting if they are:
  • A convicted felon - actively serving a prison sentence. Or
  • Convicted of corrupt electoral practices. Requirements when standing for general election - correct answer • Aged 18+
  • Resident in the UK.
  • Be a UK, Irish or Commonwealth citizen.
  • Registered on the electoral roll.
  • Electoral deposit - £500. This can be lost if you don't get 5% of all the votes casted.
  • Have to be nominated by 10 voters. Requirements when standing for local elections - correct answer • Over 18.
  • Be a UK, Commonwealth or EU citizen.
  • Resident in the UK.
  • Have a connection with the area you want to represent - e.g. Live, work or own property in the area.
  • Have to be nominated by 10 voters. Election cycles - county councils and unitary authorities - correct answer • County councils and unitary authorities have whole elections every 4 years.

Additional member system - correct answer • A form of proportional representation used in Scotland. Single transferrable vote - correct answer • A form of proportional representation used in Northern Ireland. Advantages of proportional representation - correct answer • More democratic.

  • Votes are not wasted.
  • Smaller parties are represented. Disadvantages of proportional representation - correct answer • Extremist parties are more likely to be elected.
  • Leads to unstable governments because there are permanent coalitions. The budget - correct answer • Chancellor of the Exchequer (currently Phillip Hammond) sets out the budget and sets out certain taxes (e.g. Duty on cigarettes).
  • The main role of the budget is to set out what the government is going to spend (expenditure) and how they are going to raise the money (income).
  • Reviews economic policy.
  • Reveals what taxation will be.
  • Also sets out forecasts, e.g. Growth and employment.
  • The Prime Minister is First Lord of the Treasury.
  • Seeks to control inflation. Direct tax - correct answer • Based upon what you earn - e.g. The more you earn the more you pay.
  • Regarded as progressive.
  • Income tax is an example of direct tax. Indirect tax - correct answer • Taxes on spending.
  • Deemed to be regressive.
  • Excise duties and VAT are examples of indirect tax.

Office for budget responsibility - correct answer • They give an independent analysis of the economy.

  • They scrutinise government economic policy. For example, they give opinion on whether the government are going to meet or exceed targets (that the Chancellor sets out in the budget). Sources for a feature on the budget - correct answer • Local MP
  • Academic - e.g. Professor of Economics at local university.
  • Local councillor
  • Local Chamber of Commerce - as they represent local businesses.
  • Trade union representative.
  • NHS worker
  • Vox pops Two-tier system in local government - correct answer • A two-tier system is when you have a county council and a number of district councils under it. The county and district councils:
  • Are separately elected.
  • Deal with various policies.
  • Have to co-operate on some of those policies. For example, Essex County Council and Harlow District Council. Unitary authorities - correct answer • A single-tier self-governing elected authority that provides most local government services itself. E.g. Southend-on-Sea in Essex. Advantages of unitary authorities - correct answer • Cuts down bureaucracy.
  • Increases the standardisation of services.

County council provisions - correct answer • Social services

  • Transport
  • Education
  • Environmental health - refuse disposal. District council provisions - correct answer • Housing
  • Council tax collection.
  • Environmental health - refuse collection. Councillors - correct answer • Elected to devise policy. Officers - correct answer • Officers are employed by the authority to implement authority. E.g. Chief Finance Officer or Chief Executive Officer.
  • Officers can also act as advisors.
  • Officers are politically restricted - this means they cannot stand for election (to be a councillor) for the authority you are employed by or any other authority. Leader and cabinet system - correct answer • Leader is a councillor elected by fellow councillors.
  • Leader appoints cabinet.
  • The leader will appoint their fellow councillors to certain positions, for example Portfolio Holder for Environment. Directly elected mayor and cabinet system - correct answer • The mayor is directly elected, separate from the council, by the public.
  • The mayor is NOT a councillor.
  • They appoint the cabinet from the elected councillors.
  • Elected mayors are usually in big cities. E.g. Sadiq Khan (Greater London) and Andy Burnham (Greater Manchester).

Committee system - correct answer • Some councils are going back to the pre-2000's committee system. Council tax - correct answer • A local tax based on the value of your house and how many people live in the house.

  • All properties are put in valuation bands - A is the lowest band, D is the headline band and H is the highest band.
  • Discounts can be applied, for example if one person is living in the house. Revenue spending - correct answer • Day-to-day spending on short term items/costs. Examples: Wages (e.g. Teacher's pay) and maintenance costs. Sources of revenue spending - correct answer • Council tax
  • Uniform business rates.
  • Rents, fees and charges.
  • Reserves, i.e. Money from previous year.
  • Government revenue grants. Capital spending - correct answer • Spending on long term items/costs. Examples: Buildings, roads, schools and nursing homes. Sources of capital spending - correct answer • Capital grants from central government.
  • Borrowing - Most borrowing comes from a central government body called the Public Works Loan Board (PWLB). There are limits on what you can borrow.
  • Capital receipts - Money from the sale of capital assets owned by the council. E.g. Land or a building.
  • Private finance initiatives (PFI's) - A private company will build something and they'll receive the money back from the council over a fixed amount of time.
  • Council tax - revenue funding is a source of capital spending.

Example: The item concerns a contract discussion or social services issue.

  • Exempt items can be challenged by journalists. Planning applications - correct answer • An application is submitted to the local (district or unitary) council with a plan.
  • The planning application will then be published.
  • The planning officer will consult with interested parties - e.g. Re-routing a road would result in the planning officer consulting the local residents.
  • The planning officers will then submit recommendations to the planning committee.
  • A small development might be approved by a planning officer.
  • Larger developments are sent to the planning committee.
  • The committee can approve, reject or conditionally approve (e.g. "we'll approve, but there need to be certain changes made").
  • It can take approximately 28 days. Allowances for councillors - correct answer Every council has an independent remuneration panel and they decide what the allowances should be and can recommend increases. The council can then accept or reject the recommendation.
  • Basic allowance - every councillor that is elected is entitled to a basic allowance which is approximately £8,000 a year.
  • Special responsibility allowances (SRA's) - Some councillors can claim SRA's alongside their basic allowance. For example, the leader of the council.
  • Travel expenses - Councillors can also claim travel expenses.
  • Childcare expenses - Councillors can also claim childcare expenses.
  • They can also claim for a pension. The EU Commission - correct answer • The Commission is the civil service of the EU.
  • The EU commission actually proposes policy, meaning it is proactive and is the driving force of the EU.
  • The policies are then approved by the European Council and the European Parliament.
  • There are 28 commissioners of whom are appointed by their governments and are given policy areas (e.g. Portfolios).
  • The issue is, the civil service in Britain are the servants of the government. Council of ministers - correct answer • The Council of Ministers is the main decision body of the EU.
  • They act upon recommendation from the commission.
  • It's made up of 28 ministers who are appointed by the Prime Minister.
  • The Council of Ministers meet to discuss certain subject matters - e.g. Health. Relationship between civil servants and ministers - correct answer • Ministers propose policy.
  • Civil servants carry out the policy, however they can advise.
  • Civil servants are meant to be neutral. European Parliament - correct answer • European Parliament is the elected body of the EU.
  • There are 751 members of the European Parliament.
  • The European Parliament has powers of the budget.
  • The European Parliament has powers to legislate.
  • The European Parliament has the ability to dismiss the Commission. Issues with leaving the EU - correct answer • Rights of EU citizens that are living in the UK.
  • Rights of UK citizens that are living in the EU.
  • The deal that is achieved - e.g. No deal, soft or hard Brexit.
  • Trade deals - dependent on the deal that is achieved.
  • Local authority health and wellbeing boards. Care Quality Commission (CQC) - correct answer • CQC is the inspectorate of the NHS.
  • They inspect the NHS, e.g. Hospitals, surgeries and care homes.
  • They publish their findings and provide ratings, e.g. Outstanding, good, inadequate and special measures. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) - correct answer • NICE recommend and authorise treatments and medications - for example, they might deny a drug if it is too expensive. Issues with the NHS - correct answer • Aging population - people are living longer.
  • Postcode lottery - some services are better in different areas.
  • Bed blocking - elderly patients who cannot be discharged from hospital, as they have nowhere to go.
  • Waiting lists - e.g. Hip replacements.
  • Waiting times in A&E.
  • Rise in dementia.
  • NHS funding - the NHS is almost a bottomless pit in regards to funding. Services provided for elderly people - correct answer • Some of the services are paid, but are means tested.
  • Social workers
  • Residential care homes
  • Care in the community
  • Home adaptations
  • Home visits
  • Meals-on-Wheels Powers of the prime minister - correct answer • Appoints the cabinet and can dismiss the cabinet.
  • Chairing cabinet meetings.
  • Appoints people to various posts. For example, senior civil servants and armed force commanders.
  • Represents the government abroad for international relations.
  • The PM is in charge of policy.
  • Has the powers of patronage which means she can recommend people to become life peers and for honours.
  • In charge of the civil service. For example, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Prime Minister. Restraints on the prime ministerial power - correct answer • Lack of majority in House of Commons - means she is lacking a majority support.
  • Lack of party unity - results in the party being unstable. For example, the PM may not have any support from her party members.
  • Effectiveness of the opposition - leads to power being taken away from the PM.
  • The media - Having the support of the press is important. Contributory benefits - correct answer • Contributory benefits are based upon national insurance payments. Examples include: state pensions and unemployment pay. Non-contributory benefits - correct answer • Contributory benefits are not based upon national insurance payments. Examples include: housing benefits and income support.
  • The government are trying to replace non-contributory benefits with universal credits. Freedom of Information Act - correct answer • 100,000 bodies - e.g. Colleges, universities, NHS, schools, local authorities and government departments - are covered by the Freedom of Information Act. Examples include: local authorities, government departments, NHS bodies, schools, colleges etc.
  • The relevant cabinet minister will propose the bill to the Houses of Parliament.
  • Their shadow cabinet minister will oppose the bill.
  • The speaker will call for backbench mps to support.
  • Their will be a vote to decide on whether the bill is passed or not.
  • If a bill is not passed, it has to be brought in again with a new government.
  1. Committee stage - The bill goes to a public bill committee made up of 20 mps.
  • They examine the bill, a detailed discussion is had and amendments can be made.
  1. Report stage - Usually a formality where the Chair of the Committee reports the bill back to the House of Commons.
  2. 3rd reading - Normally the opposition lets the bill go through but sometimes a vote will occur again.
  3. House of Lords - The bill is then passed on to the House of Lords - they can delay a bill, unless its a finance bill, but Parliament can push it through - where a similar proceedings happens again.
  4. Royal assent - The monarch provide their approval. Police and crime commissioner - correct answer • Police and Commissioners are directly elected.
  • Anyone can stand for election.
  • Usually for 4 years.
  • Are allowed to have politically inclined.
  • Responsible for: drawing up the budget, policing policies (e.g. Emphasis on fly-tipping) in conjunction with the Chief Constable and has the power to dismiss the Chief Constable. Academy schools - correct answer • State schools that are fully self-governing.
  • Receive their funding directly from central government.
  • Essentially run by the head teacher - e.g. The head teacher has the ability to hire and fire staff and to some extent can deviate from the national curriculum.
  • The headteacher can also set the pay of themselves and their staff alongside the governing board. Free schools - correct answer • Free schools are set up by parents or a local business community. Issues with free schools with state sector - correct answer • A two-tier system is created
  • free schools are outside of the mainstream system.
  • Free schools aren't really accountable to any authorities.
  • They can have their own admissions policy.
  • They can set their own curriculum.
  • They can appoint anyone as a teacher despite their qualifications. Monarchy financing - correct answer • Privy purse
  • Grant Roles of the monarchy - correct answer • Head of state
  • Head of the executive
  • Appoints the Prime Minister.
  • Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces.
  • Supreme Governor of the Church of England.
  • Head of the Commonwealth.
  • The monarch opens parliament - For example, the Queen exercises the state opening.
  • Makes appointments - Appoints bishops and civil servants on the advice of the Prime Minister.
  • Grants honours - obes etc.
  • Meets with the PM once a week.

Roles of the House of Lords - correct answer • House of Lords is the upper chamber.

  • House of Lords is there to bring in its own legislation.
  • House of Lords is there to amend legislation that comes from the House of Commons.
  • Do not have any power over the finance bill.
  • They can reject the legislation from the House of Commons - however after 1 year if the House of Commons do not back down it will automatically become law.