Inostrannyy_yazyk_anglysky_-_UP_British_State

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14 Ways to vote

In England, Scotland and Wales, at all elections, one can choose whether he or she prefers to vote at a polling station or by post. In addition, if one meets certain legal requirements, one can apply for a proxy vote.

Voting at a polling station. The traditional way to vote in the United Kingdom is to attend one's local polling station and vote in person. Each voter is allocated to a specific polling station serving the area in which they live. A poll card is sent to each elector, giving the address of the polling station.

Postal and Proxy Voting. Voters who are likely to be away from home at the time of an election – for example on holiday or business – or those who are unable to vote in person at the polling station may apply for a postal or a proxy vote. The latter is a vote cast by a person authorized to vote on behalf of another.

Other methods of voting. Local authorities in England, Wales and Scotland are allowed to apply to conduct electoral pilot schemes to test new methods of voting at local government elections. New methods of voting that have been tried as pilot schemes include:

E-voting – both using the internet and special kiosks at polling stations or other public places; Telephone voting;

Voting by text messaging from mobile phones;

Early voting – it is possible to vote before the allocated polling day;

All postal elections – all voters will vote by post and there will be no polling stations.

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Task 9. Read and translate the text.

The Queen and the Prime Minister

An important function of the Sovereign is the appointment of a prime minister. Normally the appointment is automatic since it is a convention of the constitution that the sovereign must invite the leader of the party which won a majority in the House of Commons to form a government. If no party has a majority or if the party having a majority has no recognized leader, the Queen's duty is to select a prime minister consulting anyone she wishes.

The Queen's closest official contacts are with the Prime Minister whom she receives once every week, when in London, and through him with the Cabinet. She also sees other ministers, generally in order to discuss the affairs of their departments. She sees all the Cabinet papers, the Cabinet agenda, correspondence and other important documents. The Queen is the second after the Prime Minister best informed person in the United Kingdom, as information is one of the important attributes of Queen's power. The Queen is responsible for dissolving Parliament, and this is normally done at the request of the Prime Minister. The appointment or dismissal of ministers is also carried out on the advice of the Prime Minister.

Acts involving the use of "royal prerogative" powers are now performed by government ministers, and the minister is politically responsible for the royal act. The Queen's speech in the Opening of Parliament is prepared by the Prime Minister and

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contains the outline of the program for the session. That is why it is also said that the Queen has duties and rights but has no power. Of her many rights the most important are: the right to be consulted, the right to encourage, the right to warn. And with them the monarch has a good deal more power than is commonly supposed.

The Queen has the constitutional right in certain circumstances to disregard her ministers' advice and this is a strong reserve weapon for the case of need. The Queen is, in fact, the only permanent member of the Cabinet having first-hand knowledge of all its secret papers. Since her accession to the throne the Queen has given audience to 12 Prime Ministers. It is unlikely that the Queen should always be in sympathy with her Prime Minister. And though officially she may not have any political views her silent or other way of approval or disapproval of their actions, which usually are revealed by the press, indicate the Queen’s ability to support or weaken her Prime Minister. With her right to be informed, to warn and to be consulted she can by no means influence state affairs greatly.

Notes to the text: to disregard – пренебрегать, игнорировать

to have first-hand knowledge – знать по собственному опыту by no means – никоим образом

Task 10. Find in the text the English equivalents for the following words and word combinations: получить большинство голосов, не иметь признанного лидера, повестка дня кабинета министров, атрибут королевской власти, по просьбе премьер-министра, отставка министров, иметь намного больше власти, пренебрегать советом, запасное орудие, вступление на престол, маловероятно, быть в полном согласии с кем-либо, молчаливое одобрение, предупреждать.

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13 Standing as a candidate at an election

At general election time there is interest and sometimes confusion about issues such as who can stand for election, how candidates are nominated, whether a deposit is necessary and what limits there are on campaign spending. Any man or woman, who is a British citizen, or a citizen of another Commonwealth country may stand as a candidate at an election whether or not he or she belongs to a political party. He or she must be aged 21 or over and not disqualified in any way.

Those disqualified from election are the following:

members of the House of Lords including those bishops who are Lords Spirituals undercharged bankrupts;

people sentenced to more than one year’s imprisonment;

persons convicted of illegal or corrupt practices at elections;

people holding offices listed in the House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975. This includes judges, civil servants, some local government officers, members of the regular armed forces, some members of public corporations and government commissions, and members of the parliaments or assemblies of countries outside the Commonwealth or the Republic of Ireland.

‘idiots’ and ‘lunatics’ (in their non-lucid periods) as legally defined.

All candidates must pay a £500 deposit which is lost if

they do not secure 5% of the total number of votes in their constituency and is set at this level to discourage large numbers of frivolous candidates from standing.

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12 The Privy Council

Historically the Privy Council was the name given to the group of ministers who acted as chief advisers to the King or Queen. As the power of the monarch declined, the Cabinet replaced the Privy Council as the senior decision-making body.

Today the Privy Council’s duties are largely formal and ceremonial. It has about three hundred members, including all Cabinet members (past and present), the leaders of all the main parties, and the Speaker. Its formal tasks include advising the monarch on a range of matters, like the resolution of constitutional issues and the approval of Orders in Council, such as the granting of Royal Charters to public bodies. The most important task of the Privy Council today is performed by its Judicial Committee. This serves as the final court of appeal from the dependencies and Commonwealth countries. It may also act as an arbiter for a wide range of courts and committees in Britain and overseas, and its rulings can be influential. The office of Privy Councillor is an honorary one, conferred, for example, on former Prime Ministers. In the House of Commons a Privy Councillor will take precedence over a normal MP when the Speaker calls MPs to speak, and may speak for longer.

Membership of the Council, which is retained for life, except for very occasional removals, is granted by the Sovereign, on the recommendation of the Prime Minister, to people eminent in public life in Britain and the independent monarchies of the Commonwealth. Cabinet ministers must be Privy Counsellors and, if not already members, are admitted to membership before taking their oath of office at a meeting of the Council. Full meetings of the Privy Council occur only on the death of a monarch and the accession of a new monarch, when the Council issues a proclamation of the accession and announces the name of the new Sovereign.

(1800)

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Task 11. Find in the text two sentences with the conjunction “since” and translate them. Are these conjunctions similar in their meaning?

Task 12. Form nouns from these verbs with the help of the appropriate suffixes and insert them into the right column: to access, to establish, to discuss, to perform, to use, to refuse, to inform, to appoint, to act, to dismiss, to indicate, to influence, to depend, to consult, to approve, to govern, to support, to interfere.

Task 13. Answer the questions:

1.How does the Queen choose a prime minister?

2.Is the Queen the best informed person in the UK?

3.What are the most important rights of the Queen?

4.Does the Queen influence state affairs greatly?

Task 14. Read and translate the text.

Monarchy and democracy

In Britain, the country that prides itself on championing democracy, existence of a monarchy seems to be irrational. Despite the obvious contradiction between democracy and monarchy, the Queen and the Royal Family have remained immensely popular as the symbol of the state, the symbol of the unity of the nation, the symbol of the stability and the guarantee of smooth changes of government, because officially the Monarch's politics are those which are carried out by the government of the day.

In the 19th century, seeing that they could not rely only on

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the support of the diminishing aristocracy, Queen Victoria and her husband Albert began making royalty more public, consciously offering to the nation a model of family life. With Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee in 1887 the government remodelled monarchy, laying emphasis on its ancient rituals as embodying the soul of the nation. And the people liked it. Since World War I when the ruling monarch King George V began to visit workingclass areas and attended the first Football Cup Final at Wembley chatting with people, there was a strong tendency to speak of close relationship between common people and the Royal Family, to speak of England as one happy family. This feeling and popularity of the Monarchy was still more strengthened by the refusal of George VI to leave London during air attacks on the capital during World War II. By remaining in Buckingham Palace after it was hit and by visiting the most badly bombed parts of London George VI and his consort, Elizabeth (the Queen Mother), became the most loved people of Britain. During the reign of Queen Elizabeth II who ascended the throne in 1952, the Monarchy caused great national and international interest. It has become an ideal which is deeply cultivated and supported by almost 80 % of its population.

Notes to the text: to champion – защищать, бороться за to embody – олицетворять

consort – супруг(а) (о королевской семье)

Task 15. Find in the text the English equivalents for the following words and word combinations: очевидное противоречие, чрезвычайно популярный, полагаться на, королевская власть, сознательно, пятидесятилетний юбилей, придавать значение чему-либо, олицетворять дух нации, обычные люди, укреплять, царствование, взойти на престол.

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deliver justice and regulate entry to the United Kingdom. It is headed by the Home Secretary.

The Ministry of Defence provides the defence capabilities to ensure the security and defence of the United Kingdom and the Overseas Territories. It supports the government's foreign policy objectives, particularly those relating to peace and security. It is headed by the Secretary of State for Defence.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office promotes UK interests abroad and works with international bodies to support a strong world community. The FCO is responsible for the conduct of business with other governments and international organisations. This includes developing Britain's role as a member of the European Union, the Commonwealth and the United Nations Organisation. The Minister responsible is the Foreign Secretary.

The above list is not comprehensive. There are several

other lesser known ministries.

The ministers in charge of Departments are usually of Cabinet rank. They are chosen for their special knowledge of the subjects handled by the Department. They are usually assisted by one or more junior ministers who are not in the Cabinet. The majority of the Government members belong to the House of Commons, but major Departments often have at least one minister who is a Lord. While ministers act as political heads of Government Departments, the actual administration of the departments is carried out by civil servants also known as permanent secretaries.

As well as government departments there are government agencies formed to operate public services, e.g., the Post Office, British Rail, etc. Most of these agencies are subject to the control of one of the government departments.

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judgment, significant mistakes, or miscarriages of justice occur. The doctrine provides direct and effective political accountability for the actions of the executive. It is one of the central components of the doctrine of the separation of powers which is itself a cornerstone of any democratic and responsible government.

(1800)

11 Government Departments

Most Cabinet ministers are heads of Government Departments. Governing in the 21st century is a very complicated business. The work of Government is, therefore, divided among Departments, each specializing in a particular subject, e.g. defence, education, trade and industry. The number and responsibilities of Government Departments can be changed by the Prime Minister according to the needs of the country.

These are the key Government Departments:

Her Majesty's Treasury is responsible for formulating and putting into effect the UK Government's financial and economy policy. The Treasury works to achieve economic stability, low inflation, sound public finances, efficient public services and a more productive economy. The Minister in charge is the Chancellor of the Exchequer. The Prime Minister is its political head.

The Cabinet Office supports the Prime Minister in ensuring that the government delivers its priorities, particularly in relation to health, education, transport and crime policies. It provides secretarial support to the Cabinet and services Cabinet committees, where ministers work together on key issues. It also provides practical advice and support on the machinery of government.

The Home Office is responsible for internal affairs in England and Wales. It seeks to promote a safe, just and tolerant society through its policies to reduce crime,

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Task 16. Guess the words used in the text by their definitions: to become smaller, Queen’s husband, to be present at, to talk in a friendly way, to make stronger, a period when a queen (king) rules.

Task 17. Answer the questions:

1.What do the Queen and the Royal Family embody?

2.How did the Queen and her husband make royalty more public in the 19th century?

3.What did George V and George VI do to strengthen the popularity of the monarchy?

4.When did Queen Elizabeth II ascend the throne?

5.How many people in Britain support the monarchy?

Task 18. Read and translate the text.

Expensive institution

From time to time the question if the nation should pay for that undemocratic institution is raised. Monarchy is indeed a very expensive institution. The Queen gets an allowance of about two million pounds a year, secured from inflation. All the members of the Royal Family also get considerable annual allowances, known as the Civil List, which is free of tax.

In addition to the Civil List there are some expensive items paid for by the taxpayers: the Royal yacht "Britannia", a floating palace and a hospital ship with 250 men making its crew and the team responsible for the upkeep, costing the taxpayers 9,2 million pounds. There is also a Royal train, two helicopters and three planes. But the majority of people wish to have something stable and sacred in this constantly changing world.

The debates about the role and cost of the Monarchy have always existed and will go on. In cases of upheavals and sharp criticism of the Monarchy the opponents are being reminded that 7

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million pounds spent on it equals the sum of money spent on advertising washing powder, which only cleans and whitens clothes, while the Monarchy serves to clean and whiten the whole social and political system of the country.

Queen Elizabeth II is 40th monarch (since 1066), the oldest and longest-ruling monarch.

Notes to the text:

Civil List – цивильный лист (сумма на содержание лиц королевской семьи)

upkeep – содержание (в исправности), ремонт

Task 19. Find in the text the English equivalents for the following words and word combinations: поднимать вопрос,

налогоплательщик, годовое содержание, свободный от налогов, ответственный за, священный, переворот, быть равным, рекламировать.

Task 20. Define the tense and the voice of the predicates in the following sentences:

1.The debates about the role and cost of the Monarchy have always existed and will go on.

2.In cases of upheavals and sharp criticism of the Monarchy the opponents are being reminded that … the Monarchy serves to clean and whiten the whole social and political system of the country.

Task 21. Answer the questions:

1.What is the British people’s attitude to the Monarchy?

2.Is it a very expensive institution?

3.Do you see any advantages or disadvantages of having a monarchy?

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from power and the collective resignation of its members. Despite the need for consensus and collective action within a Cabinet, ultimate decision-making power rests with the Prime Minister as the leader of his party.

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10 The principles of government

Partly as a result of the electoral system, Britain, unlike much of Western Europe, normally has a ‘single-party government’. In other words, all members оf the government belong to the same political party. There were however several governments in Britain whose members were drawn from a variety of different parties (this is known as ‘coalition government’).

The habit of a ‘single-party government’ has helped to establish the tradition known as collective responsibility. That is, every member of the government shares the responsibility for every policy made by the government. Since the Second World War, all governments have been formed either by the Labour Party or the Conservative Party. Members of the same party are likely to agree on a programme of policies. Having won the election, they will also have the support of the majority of MPs in the House of Commons. This will enable them to put their policies into practice. Of course, individual government members may hold different opinions, but they are expected to keep these private. By convention, no member of the government can criticize government policy in public. Any member who does so must resign. Another principle of the Cabinet’s work, the doctrine of ministerial responsibility, demands that a Minister should accept a full administrative responsibility for the administration of his/her department. A Minister’s resignation is the only publicly acceptable course of action if serious errors of

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the number can vary. It must be large enough to include senior ministers whilst small enough to allow for constructive discussions. There is no limit on the size of the Cabinet, but the number of salaried members is restricted.

The functions of the Cabinet are to initiate and decide on policy, to exercise the supreme control of government and to coordinate Government Departments. The exercise of these functions is vitally affected by the fact that the Cabinet is a group of party representatives, depending upon majority support in the House of Commons.

The Cabinet meets in private and its proceedings are confidential. Its members are bound by an oath not to disclose information about its proceedings, although after 30 years Cabinet papers may be made available for inspection in the Public Record Office.

Normally the Cabinet meets for a few hours each week on a Thursday morning at No. 10 Downing Street during parliamentary sittings, and rather less often when Parliament is not sitting. The Prime Minister can summon the Cabinet to meet at any time and meetings will be more frequent when the political situation so requires. It is the Prime Minister’s duty to meet the Queen during the weekly audiences and inform her about the business of Government.

Departmental ministers normally decide all matters within their responsibility. However, on important political matters they usually consult their colleagues collectively, either through the Cabinet or through a Cabinet committee. A decision by a departmental minister binds the Government as a whole.

Cabinet ministers are responsible for their departments, but the Cabinet as a whole is accountable to Parliament for its actions, and its individual members must be willing and able to publicly defend the Cabinet’s policies both in the Commons and before the general public. The loss of a vote of confidence or the defeat of a major legislative bill in the Commons can mean a Cabinet’s fall

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UNIT 3

BRITISH PARLIAMENT

Task 1. Read and translate the text.

History and structure

Like the Monarchy, Parliament in Britain is an ancient institution dating from the beginning of the 13th century, though officially it was established in 1265 by Simon de Montfort. It is the third oldest parliament in the world.

Parliament is the supreme legislative body of the United Kingdom. The main function of Parliament is legislating bills, making bills lawful. But Parliament is not only law-making body, it is also a law-enforcing body, i.e. it has judicial functions. British Parliament is free to make any laws it wishes. It could even prolong its own life if it chose to do so. The only guarantee against parliamentary tyranny is the sense of tradition and reasonableness of its members.

Other functions of Parliament are to raise money through taxation so as to enable the government to function, to question and examine government policy and administration, particularly its financial program, and to debate important political issues.

History knew Short and Long Parliament (Short lasted 2 weeks, Long – 12 years) but since 1911 every parliament is limited to a 5-year term of work. The work of Parliament is divided into sessions. Every session starts at the end of October or the beginning of November and lasts 36 weeks up to late August. Annual Opening of Parliament by the Queen is a traditional ceremony, very beautiful and pompous.

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British Parliament is composed of two houses – the House of Lords and the House of Commons. The House of Lords appeared first as King's council of the nobility. The House of Commons originated later, in the second half of the 14th century." Commons" were the representatives of different local communities who were summoned to provide the King with money. The more money demanded, the more the Commons questioned its use. Because of its financial power, its ability to raise or withhold money, the House of Commons gained power not only in matters of finance but also legislation over both the monarch and also the Lords.

The Houses work in different places, in the opposite parts of Westminster palace. The arrangement of seats in both is of great significance and reflects and maintains the two-party system of Britain. Both the Houses are rectangular (not semicircular as most European Chambers) in shape with rows of benches on either side and a raised platform for the throne in the House of Lords and the Speaker's Chair in the House of Commons.

To the right of the Speaker are the seats for the Government and its supporters, to his left – for the Opposition. So the debates are face to face debates. Facing the Speaker there are cross benches for Independent members, for those who do not belong to either of the two leading political parties.

There are 5 rows of benches in the House of Commons. (4

– in Lords') on both of its sides. Front benches on either side are

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important task of the Privy Council today is performed by its Judicial Committee.

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9 The Prime Minister and the Cabinet

The Prime Minister is the most senior officer of Her Majesty’s Government. The full title of the office is Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury, and Minister for the Civil Service of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

The Prime Minister’s main responsibilities include: running the Government; appointing Cabinet Ministers and other ministers; coordinating the activities of the Cabinet and Government Departments; appointing judges, creating Life Peers and making appointments to senior positions in the Church of England; leading the majority party; being the ‘face’ of the government in the UK and abroad.

The Prime Minister is technically appointed by the Monarch. The appointment takes place after the results of a General. After a General Election, the Queen calls upon the leader of the largest party to officially appoint him to a post of a Prime Minister, who then forms the Government and the Cabinet. In theory, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom is a first among equals in the British Cabinet. In appointing a Cabinet the Prime Minister generally includes members of parliament who have political bases of their own and who could potentially be a rival of the Prime Minister. However, in practice, a strong Prime Minister can so dominate government that he becomes a ‘semi-president’ and fulfils the leadership role in a the same way as presidents do. Examples include William Ewart Gladstone, David Lloyd George, Winston Churchill, Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair.

The Cabinet is composed of about 20 ministers, although

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considered each session.

Hybrid Bills are Public Bills which may affect the specific private rights of people or bodies. They are generally introduced by the Government, but are fairly rare.

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8 Who governs Britain?

The many definitions of the term “government” demonstrate that it is not easy to give a comprehensive description. Still more difficult is to understand the structure and operation of the whole machinery of the executive government.

However, let’s try. It seems that no less than three major British institutions are involved in the process. In the broader sense we may talk about all the politicians who have been appointed by the monarch (on the advice of the Prime Minister) to help run the country through Government Departments or to take on various other special responsibilities. There are normally about a hundred members of ‘the government’ in this sense. Although there are various ranks members of the government are usually known as ‘ministers’.

The other meaning of the term ‘government’ is more limited. It refers only to the most powerful of these politicians, namely the Prime Minister and the group of his closest advisors – the Cabinet. There are usually about twenty people in the Cabinet. Most of them are the heads of Government Departments.

Last but not least is the Privy Council. It is one of the oldest institutions of the British government and the Privy Council Office is the smallest autonomous Government Department with fewer than 50 members of staff. Today its main role is to advise the monarch on a range of matters such as the resolution of constitutional issues and the approval of Orders in Council, plus the granting of Royal Charters to public bodies. The most

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the seats of the Government (Cabinet members) and the Opposition (Shadow Cabinet members). Hence, the division of MPs into front-benchers and back-benchers.

Each of the Houses enjoys certain rights and immunities to protect them in carrying out their duties. They are: freedom of speech in debates, freedom from arrest, the right of access to the Crown (collective privilege for the Commons and individual for peers). The Commons have the right to exclude a MP and declare his seat vacant. The proceedings in both the Houses are public and visitors are admitted into the Strangers' Gallery. The number of visitors is limited to about 200, no cards or passes are required, but metal-control check is necessary. "First come, first go" – this principle works in both galleries. Since 1803 the reports on Parliamentary procedures have been published the following day. Proceedings of both Houses are now televised, the Lords since 1984 and the Commons since 1989.

Task 2. Find in the text the English equivalents for the following words and word combinations: высший законодательный орган, собирать деньги, ежегодное открытие парламента, созывать, обеспечивать деньгами, подвергать сомнению, прямоугольный, пользоваться правами и неприкосновенностью, выполнять обязанности, заседание.

Task 3. Match the words having the same meaning:

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Task 4. Answer the questions:

1.How old is the British Parliament?

2.What are the functions of Parliament?

3.What is the term of work of Parliament? Has it always been the same?

4.How did the two Houses originate?

5.What is the shape of the Houses and the arrangement of seats?

6.What are the rights and immunities of the Houses?

7.Are any visitors admitted into the Houses during the proceedings?

Task 5. Read and translate the text.

The House of Commons

When speaking about General Election, election to the House of Commons is meant. Of its 659 members 529 represent constituencies in England, 40 – in Wales, 72 – in Scotland and 18

– in Northern Ireland (119 MPs are women). The House of Commons is usually meant when speaking about British Parliament. "MP" is addressed only to the members of the House of Commons. So this House is the centre of real political power, most of its members being professional politicians, lawyers, economists, etc.

The party that has won the General Election makes up the majority in the House of Commons and forms the Government. The party with the next largest number of members in the House (or sometimes a combination of other parties) forms the official Opposition, and the Leader of the Opposition is a recognized post in the House of Commons.

The MPs sit on two sides of the hall, one side for the governing party and the other for the opposition. There are seats for only 437 MPs. One of the most important members in the

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7 Types of bills

A Bill is a proposal for a new law. Most Bills are introduced into Parliament by the Government; some will be implementing policies that were promised in its action manifesto and others will be responding to economic and social issues as they develop.

There are two main kinds of Bill – Public Bills and Private

Bills.

Public Bills are intended to affect the public as a whole and change the general law. They are Government Bills and Private Members' Bills. The majority of Public Bills that become Acts of Parliament are introduced by a government Minister and are known as Government Bills. When a new government comes to power after a general election it will normally have a number of policies it wishes to put into effect. Where necessary it will try to change the law by introducing Bills into Parliament. Each Bill will be piloted through Parliament by a Minister from the appropriate Government Department. Government Bills usually succeed in getting through Parliament because the Government has a majority in the House of Commons. Private Members' Bills are sponsored by individual MPs. Many Private Members' Bills fail to complete their passage through Parliament, either through lack of support or, more likely, because of shortage of time. Government business is usually given priority and Private Members' Bills can get squeezed out. To be successful a Private Members' Bill ideally needs to be non-controversial and have the support of the Government.

Private Bills are only intended to affect one particular area or organization. They are promoted by organizations outside the House (e.g. local authorities or companies) to obtain powers for themselves in excess of or in conflict with the general law. They should not be confused with Private Members' Bills, which are a type of Public Bill. In practice, only a few Private Bills are now