UK Government and Law Questions
Questions on Parliament, elections, the courts and how the country is run. Each one below has the answer marked and a short reason.
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What this part of the test covers
This part of the test is about how the UK is governed. It covers Parliament, elections, the courts, and what the government and the monarch each do.
Many of these facts are ones people never need in daily life, so they have to be learned on purpose. The good news is that they are fixed facts, not opinions.
Below are 13 practice questions on government and the law, with the answers explained.
- The House of Commons and the House of Lords
- Elections, constituencies and how voting works
- The Prime Minister, the Cabinet and the Civil Service
- The devolved governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
- Courts, judges and how a Bill becomes law
Before you answer these, it is worth reading the UK Government chapter in our free study guide.
Practice questions with answers
Here are 13 questions from our bank. The correct answer is marked with a tick, and under each one is a short reason.
Question 1. What is the name of the upper house of the UK Parliament?
Topic: Government & Law
- The Senate
- The House of Lords(correct answer)
- The Privy Council
- The House of Peers
Why: The House of Lords is the upper house. Its members are not elected by the public.
Question 2. What voting system is used in UK general elections?
Topic: Government & Law
- Proportional representation
- Alternative vote
- First Past the Post(correct answer)
- Single transferable vote
Why: UK general elections use first past the post. The candidate with the most votes in each area wins.
Question 3. What is a by-election?
Topic: Government & Law
- An election held on a different day than the general election
- An election held in a constituency when its MP resigns, dies, or is disqualified(correct answer)
- A second round of voting when no candidate wins a majority
- An election for the House of Lords
Why: A by-election is held in one area when its MP dies or resigns. It does not affect the rest of the country.
Question 4. What is the role of the Speaker of the House of Commons?
Topic: Government & Law
- To represent the government in Parliamentary debates
- To chair debates in the Commons and keep order, remaining politically neutral(correct answer)
- To read the King's Speech at the State Opening of Parliament
- To lead the opposition party
Why: The Speaker keeps order in the House of Commons. The Speaker must be neutral and does not take sides.
Question 5. Where is the Scottish Parliament located?
Topic: Government & Law
- Edinburgh Castle
- The Palace of Holyroodhouse
- The Scottish Parliament Building at Holyrood(correct answer)
- Glasgow City Chambers
Why: The Scottish Parliament sits at Holyrood in Edinburgh.
Question 6. What is the name of the Welsh Parliament?
Topic: Government & Law
- Welsh Assembly
- Senedd Cymru(correct answer)
- Tynwald
- Stormont
Why: The Welsh Parliament is called the Senedd. It sits in Cardiff.
Question 7. What is the Cabinet?
Topic: Government & Law
- The permanent civil servants who advise the government
- The senior ministers chosen by the Prime Minister who are responsible for major government policy(correct answer)
- The committee of MPs that scrutinises legislation
- The group of advisers to the monarch
Why: The Cabinet is the group of senior ministers who run the main government departments.
Practise all uk government and law questions
Drill this one topic on its own, with no timer and an explanation on every answer.
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Question 1. What is the highest court in the United Kingdom?
Topic: Government & Law
- The Court of Appeal
- The High Court of Justice
- The UK Supreme Court(correct answer)
- The Privy Council
Why: The Supreme Court is the highest court in the UK. It hears the most important appeals.
Question 2. What is the term for the geographical area each MP represents in Parliament?
Topic: Government & Law
- Borough
- Ward
- Constituency(correct answer)
- District
Why: Each MP represents one area, called a constituency. There are 650 of them.
Question 3. What is Royal Assent?
Topic: Government & Law
- The monarch's personal approval of government policy
- The formal agreement by the monarch that turns a Bill passed by Parliament into law(correct answer)
- The monarch's right to veto any legislation from Parliament
- The coronation oath taken by a new monarch
Why: Royal Assent is the monarch signing a Bill. Only then does it become law.
Question 4. What is the Chancellor of the Exchequer responsible for?
Topic: Government & Law
- Running the Foreign Office and international relations
- Managing the UK's economy and public finances, including presenting the annual Budget(correct answer)
- Leading the armed forces as Secretary of State for Defence
- Overseeing the justice system and courts
Why: The Chancellor of the Exchequer is in charge of the country's money and taxes.
Question 5. What is the Civil Service?
Topic: Government & Law
- Elected local government officials who run councils
- The permanent, politically neutral body of officials who support the government in implementing its policies(correct answer)
- Volunteers who assist MPs in their constituency work
- The judges and lawyers who operate the court system
Why: The Civil Service does the day to day work of government. Civil servants stay in post when the government changes.
Question 6. What is a hung parliament?
Topic: Government & Law
- A parliament that has been dissolved before its term is completed
- A situation where no single party wins an overall majority in a general election(correct answer)
- A parliament in which the House of Lords rejects all legislation from the Commons
- A parliament suspended during a state of national emergency
Why: A hung parliament is when no party wins more than half the seats. Parties then have to work together.
These are not the real exam questions. Those are not published by anyone. Ours are written from the same official handbook and use the same format.
How to use these questions
Reading answers helps. Answering questions yourself helps more. Do both, in this order.
- Read the UK Government chapter once.
- Drill this one topic with practice by topic. There is no timer.
- Read the reason under every question you got wrong, and every one you guessed.
- When all six topics feel steady, sit a full mock test against the clock.
You need 18 out of 24 to pass. Aim for 22 or more in practice before you book.
For a mixed set across all six topics, see our questions and answers page.
Common questions
What government questions come up in the Life in the UK test?
Expect questions on Parliament, elections, the Prime Minister and the Cabinet, the devolved governments, and the courts. The Home Office does not publish how many.
Do I need to know the name of the current Prime Minister?
No. The test asks about how the system works, not who currently holds a job. Learn the roles rather than the names.
What is the difference between the Commons and the Lords?
The House of Commons is elected by the public and has 650 MPs. The House of Lords is not elected, and it reviews and suggests changes to new laws.
Which government facts are worth learning first?
The number of MPs, what the Speaker does, the names of the devolved parliaments, and the steps a Bill takes to become law.
Where can I practise more of these questions?
Use practice by topic and choose Government and Law. There is no timer, and every answer comes with an explanation.
Take a full mock test
24 questions across all six topics, 45 minutes, marked against the real pass mark.
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