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Prime Minister and Executive
- Module
- UK Government
- Institution
- PEARSON (PEARSON)
Detailed, thorough notes on Prime Minister and Executive based on the suggested Edexcel A-Level textbook
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Prime Minister and ExecutiveDefinitions:
Executive: the decision-making branch of government, centred on the prime minister and Cabinet and its
committees
Cabinet: the group of senior ministers, chaired by the prime minister, which is the main collect decision-
making body in the government
Minister: a member of either the House of Commons or Lords who serves in government, usually
exercises a specific responsibilities in a department
Government department: a part of the executive ,usually with specific responsibility over an area (e.g.
education, health or defence)
Royal prerogative: a set of powers and privileges belonging to the monarch but normally exercised by the
prime minister or Cabinet, such as the granting of legal pardons
Secondary legislation: powers given to the executive by parliament to make changes to the law, within
certain specific rules
Individual responsibility: the principle by which ministers are responsible for their personal conduct and
for their departments
Collective responsibility: principle by which ministers must support Cabinet decisions or leave the
executive
Presidential government: an executive dominated by one individual. This may be a president but can also
describe a strong, dominant prime minister
The structure, role and powers of the executive
The structure of the executive:
1. The prime minister
head of the executive who chairs the Cabinet and manages its agenda
appoints all members of the Cabinet and junior ministers, and decides who sits on Cabinet
committees
organises the structure of government - can create, abolish or merge departments
2. The Cabinet
consists of 20-23 senior members, include those who hold the title secretary of state
several senior figures are not members of the Cabinet but attend its meeting
administrative support and help in delivering policy is provided by the Cabinet Office, headed by the
Cabinet secretary, the UK's most senior civil servant
many decisions taken in Cabinet committees, which deal with particular areas of policy such as
economic affairs and national security
3. Government departments
each one responsible for an area of policy (e.g. Ministry of Defence, Department of Transport)
Each headed by a Cabinet minister, supported by several junior ministers responsible for specific
aspects of the work of the department
4. Executive agencies
Semi independent bodies that carry out some functions of government departments (e.g. the DVLA
is overseen by the Department of Transport)
Ministers of state are senior to parliamentary under secretary of state.
, The executive decides how the country is run, represents the UK abroad, manages the defence of the country and
is responsible for public services. Since devolution, some of these functions have been transferred. Proposing
legislation, proposing budget and making policy are important roles of the UK executive.
The executive introduces proposals for new laws of amendments to existing laws. It announces a new programme
at the start of each parliamentary session in the Queen's speech, which is written by the government. (e.g. In May
2015, the Queen announced the priorities of Cameron's government which included proposals for a referendum
on the UK's membership of the EU, measures to answer West Lothian's question, and legislation to protect
essential public services against strikes.)
The executive does no confine itself to measures proposed in a party manifesto at a general election; it has the
power to introduce legislation to contend with emergencies (doctor's mandate). Ministers will often consult with
interested parties, like pressure groups and professional bodies, before introducing legislation (e.g. the 2015
Cameron government undertook a consultation exercise with employers on its proposals to introduce an
apprenticeship levy, a requirement for large companies to contribute towards the cost of training new workers).
The government needs to raise revenue to fund public services to meet its spending priorities. The budget is
created by the chancellor of the exchequer in consolation with the prime minister. The budget is an annual
statement of the government's plans for changes to taxation and public spending. If a new government comes to
power after a general election, it introduces a budget of its own, even if the previous government has already
presented one (e.g. in June 2010 Georg Osborne delivered an emergency budget only 90 days after the previous
Labour government's budget).
The executive has to decide how to give effect to its aims for the future direction of the country. Examples of
policy decisions taken in 2010-15 include streamlining the welfare system by introducing Universal Credit,
allowing parents and voluntary groups to set up 'free schools' and introducing more competition into the NHS.
The executive has at its disposal a number of powers, some of which it exercises collectively, while others are in
the hands of the prime minister. The way in which these powers are deployed has given rise to the debate on
whether the UK can be said to have a system of Cabinet government, or of 'prime ministerial government'.
Royal prerogative powers are powers that historically belonged to the Crown but has been transferred the prime
minster or other minsters. Many of these are not properly defined as they are not set out in statutes but are
largely based on the practice of previous governments. The main prerogative ideas include: declaring war and
authorising use of the armed forces, signing treaties, awarding honours, taking action to maintain order in case of
an emergency, granting and withdrawing passports, appointing minsters and granting legal pardons.
Brown's government and the coalition government were open to the idea of placing some prerogative powers
under parliamentary authority. Two powers have been abolished or reformed:
The 2011 Fixed Term Parliaments Act removed the right of the prime minster to determine the date of
the general election.
Since the parliamentary debate on the Iraq War in 2003 and the 2013 debate on Syrian air strikes,
governments have accepted that military action requires prior parliamentary approval (except in an
emergency, when the government retained the right to deploy troops and seek approval after).
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