Constitutional law worksheet with answers

The principle of legality in public law means that a public authority:

1. ACan ignore laws during weekends
2. BNeeds a legal basis for its actions, especially when interfering with rights
3. CCan act freely unless a statute expressly prohibits the particular action taken
4. DMust always be elected

Individual ministerial responsibility means that a minister:

1. ACan be removed from office by the courts
2. BIs personally liable to pay damages for errors made by their civil servants
3. CMust personally approve every decision of their department
4. DIs accountable to Parliament for their department and personal conduct

Under the Parliament Acts 1911 and 1949, the House of Lords can generally delay most public bills passed by the Commons for about:

1. AOne year
2. BAs long as it wishes
3. COne week
4. DFive years

In the GCHQ case, the House of Lords held that the exercise of prerogative powers:

1. AIs always fully reviewable, whatever subject matter it concerns
2. BCan be reviewed only if Parliament agrees
3. CCan be judicially reviewed, depending on its subject matter
4. DCan never be reviewed by the courts

To bring a claim for judicial review in England and Wales, the claimant must have:

1. APermission from the minister
2. BSuffered financial loss
3. CA contract with the public body
4. DA sufficient interest in the matter

Under the UK Human Rights Act 1998, if a court cannot read an Act compatibly with Convention rights, it can:

1. AStrike down the Act immediately
2. BOrder Parliament to amend the Act within a month
3. CMake a declaration of incompatibility, leaving the Act in force
4. DRefer the case to the European Court of Human Rights automatically

In R (Miller) v Secretary of State for Exiting the EU (2017), the Supreme Court said about the Sewel convention that:

1. AIt requires Scottish consent to the UK's withdrawal from the EU
2. BIt is a political convention that courts cannot enforce
3. CIt applies only to Northern Ireland
4. DIt became legally binding when written into statute

Article 79(3) of the German Basic Law (the "eternity clause") forbids amendments that affect:

1. AThe federal structure, the Länder's participation in legislation, or the principles in Articles 1 and 20
2. BOnly the articles on taxation
3. CAny article of the Basic Law at all
4. DThe electoral system, the number of seats in the Bundestag, or any of the rules in Articles 38 to 48 on elections