Citizenship revision guide READ ALL THE INFORMATION CAREFULLY AND COMPLETE ALL THE TASKS. CONTENTS Parliament and laws... 2 Devolution... 3 Goods Act... 4 Health and Safety and rights... 5 Communism... 6 Community Cohesion and migration... 7 Active Citizenship...8 Overview...,9,10
HOW DOES PARLIAMENT WORK? Parliament consists of the House of Commons and the House of Lords situated in two separate chambers. The Queen opens a new session of parliament every year in October at the state Opening of Parliament. The Queens Speech outlines the bills the government will bring before parliament in the coming session. Parliament represents the people of the country when new laws are being made by debating the bill before parliament. Parliament debates issues of the day and scrutinises the work of government through the Select Committees and by constant questioning of ministers. Most of the work in parliament is done in committees, which is made up of a number of MP s. Everybody is a political person, whether you say something or you are silent. A political attitude is not whether you go to parliament; it s how you deal with your life, with your surroundings. (Paulo Coelho) HOW DO YOU VOTE? First Past the Post Our current system of voting is called first past the post, a system which is used in lots of other countries e.g. USA. You get one vote and to become an MP a candidate has to gain more votes than any other candidate. Alternative Vote This system of government is used in 3 other countries (Australia, Fiji, Papua New guinea) With AV you don t just vote for your favoured candidate. Instead you rank the candidates in order of preference (1 being you first choice...)the votes are counted and if one candidate receives more than 50% of the votes then they become the MP for that constituency. If not the votes are recounted, only this time the second choice (number 2 on the voting slip) from the candidate with the fewest votes from the first round are shared out. If one candidate then has more than 50% of the votes they win, if not the process continues. HOW ARE LAWS CREATED? ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS: 1. Which system of voting does the UK use? 2. Who opens parliament each year? 3. Which countries use the alternative vote? 4. Which is the simpler way of voting? 5. Can a bill begin in the house of commons or the house of lords? 6. What does it mean when a bill is ping ponged? 7. Where is most of the work done in parliament? 8. What does parliament consist of?
Northern Ireland The Northern Ireland Assembly was established as a result of the Belfast Agreement of 10 April 1998. The Agreement was the outcome of a long process of talks between the Northern Ireland political parties and the British and Irish Governments. Scotland DEVOLUTION In the United Kingdom, devolution is the statutory (required/ needed) granting of powers from the Parliament of the United Kingdom to the Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly for Wales, the Northern Ireland Assembly. The UK Parliament retains control over a whole range of national affairs. These are called reserved powers, and they include: constitutional matters, UK defence and national security, UK foreign policy, immigration and nationality, employment legislation. FILL IN THE GAPS The Northern Ireland Assembly was established in the agreement was after long talks between and.the Welsh Assembly was created in and can now make laws in wales. Scotland created a parliament after a referendum in and the Scottish Act was passed in. There was a referendum recently when Scotland voted to the UK. Some English people believe there should be an English Parliament because Match the symbol to the Country A referendum held in September 1997 produced clear majorities for the creation of a Scottish Parliament. The Scotland Act 1998 was passed. The Scottish Parliament was elected on 6 May 1999, with its first session commencing on 12 May. Wales Wales Assembly was created in 1999. In 2011, the people of Wales voted in favour of granting the National Assembly for Wales further powers for making laws in Wales. English parliament? A devolved English parliament or assembly is a proposed institution that would give separate decision-making powers to representatives for voters in England. Issues in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are decided by their own assemblies/ parliament, while purely English issues were decided by the entire British parliament, with MPs from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland fully participating in debating and voting. England Scotland Ireland Wales
THE SALE OF GOODS AND SERVICES ACT This deals with services that you pay for from hairdressing to building and decorating. The same law applies to services they must be of reasonable standard of workmanship and should be carried out within a reasonable length of time. The cost, details of the work and the time ir will take should be agreed before any work begins. It is best to put these details in writing as you make this contract which can then be referred to if things go wrong. WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO RETURN THESE ITEMS? THE SALE OF GOODS ACT 1979 This applies to all goods sold and says that they should be as described. If the goods are not of merchantable quality or very quickly become faulty and have not been misused then you could be entitled to a full refund of your money. You do not have to show a receipt if the item is faulty, but you do need to show proof of purchase. (e.g. bank statement) The consumer goods act now says that you have to return a faulty item within 30 days. You have more rights buying on line, if you do not like the product when it arrives you have the right to return it within a week Sarah buys a new pair of trainers. After she has worn them once she notices a split on the sole. Sarah still has the receipt for the purchase. Matt buys a new IPOD. After 2 months it stops playing. He does not have the receipt, but he does have the guarantee with the shop s date stamp on it. Mark brought a new pair of trainers but Phil buys a new Jumper from the shops and washes it at a high temperature, not noticing the hand wash label, the jumper is ruined after only one wash. Sally buys a new toy for her granddaughter, after a few days playing with Helen buys a new table for her kitchen on the internet but now that it has arrived she doesn t like it. It was delivered 2 weeks ago now. Pam brought a new jumper off the internet a few days ago but she has decided she doesn t like the colour so wants to return it to the company. Dan brought a coat 2 months ago before winter started, it has just got cold enough to begin wearing it, but it doesn t fit.
RIGHTS IN THE WORKPLACE HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT 1974 This is the main Act that deals with all Health and safety laws. It has been amended and further regulations have been added, but it is still the main piece of legislation on Health and Safety at Work. THE HEALTH AND SAFETY EXECUTIVE (HSE) The HSE s job is to protect against risks to health and safety arising out of work activities. There are well over 2,000 pieces of legislation about health and safety practices in all types of industries and businesses. Rights and responsibilities play an important part of working life; this applies to matters of health and safety too. FILL IN THE GAPS SPOT THE 10 HEALTH HAZARDS IN THIS OFFICE. Statutory rights are legal rights based on. Nearly all workers have certain rights, it doesn t matter. However, sometimes employees only gain a right when they have been employed for a certain length of time with their Your contact with your employer take away rights you have by law. If your contract gives you rights than you have under law then your contract applies. The Health and Safety Act deals with all Health and Safety. There are over pieces of legislation about health and safety practices and the HSE s job is to. Your contract of employment cannot take away rights you have by law. So if, for example, you have a contract which states you are only entitled to two weeks' paid holiday per year when, by law, all full-time employees are entitled to 28 days' paid holiday per year, this part of your contract is void and does not apply. The right you have under law (to 28 days' holiday in this case) applies instead. If your contract gives you greater rights than you have under law, for example, your contract gives you six weeks' paid holiday per year, then your contract applies. There are special rules about the employment of children and young people. STATUTORY RIGHTS Statutory rights are legal rights based on laws passed by parliament. Nearly all workers, regardless of the number of hours per week they work, have certain legal rights. There are some workers who are not entitled to certain statutory rights. Sometimes an employee only gains a right when they have been employed by their employer for a certain length of time. DEFINITIONS Right: Something that you are entitled to legally. Responsibility: A duty to carry something out.
COUNTRIES THAT ARE COMMUNIST: COMMUNISM China, Cuba, Laos, North Korea, and Vietnam Formerly Communist countries (by current name): Formerly part of the Soviet Union: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russi a, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan. COMMUNISM = A SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT WHERE EVERYTHING IS SHARED EQUALLY AND THERE IS NO PRIVATE PROPERTY ARRANGE THE STATEMENTS INTO POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE ABOUT COMMUNISM. Statement about Communism Unemployment has risen to its highest level in years. In communism everybody is guaranteed a job. There is no need for religion and rural life has been eliminated. Transport was cheap, rents were cheap, housing was cheap and most people had a job. Brings a sense of community and a sense of society. Communist countries provide free education, health services and subsidised food to millions of people who previously were denied these things. Cuba, has the best health care system in the developing world, with free health care to all. Its medical schools are free and infant mortality rate is low. Workers have to work very hard, for long hours without rewards. Positive or Negative? Removal of basic freedoms, such as freedom of speech, opposition to the government was suppressed and corruption was rife. The state controls all the news, papers, books, films and radio programmes. Churches were closed and religion was banned. Capitalism is based on individual rights, communism leaves no room for individuality.
COMMUNITY COHESION Community Cohesion: Working towards a society in which there is a common vision and sense of belonging by all communities; a society in which the diversity of people's backgrounds and circumstances is appreciated and valued; a society in which similar life opportunities are available to all. Economy this term describes the financial and production levels of a country or region in relation to the manufacture and use of food, products and services. Many local communities rely upon the strength of particular local businesses to provide work and employment for local people. Where local communities are too dependent upon one type of employment they are at risk if that business goes into decline or fails. A community is a group of people who have come together, and they work and they live to try and improve the standard of living and quality of life - and I don't mean money. (William Baldwin) MIGRATION Human migration is the movement by people from one place to another with the intentions of settling temporarily or permanently in the new location. The movement is often over long distances and from one country to another. All migrants do not fit into the same category; there are many different reasons for Migration. These are often known as push or pull factors. Pushed to leave their countries or Pulled to another country. Are the examples below push or pull? In your own words write down your own definition for community cohesion: Give an example of when a local community in the UK has been to dependent upon one type of employment.
Read through the information on active citizenship and then answer the questions on the left. In your own words write down your own definition of an active citizen. Give 4 examples of active citizenship. 1. 2. 3. 4. Explain what might be the result of people not participating in their community. What is Active Citizenship? Active Citizenship is participation in a community group or activity which benefits the local community, and/or participating in the electoral process by voting/being a member of a political party/having your say. This can involve, voting in elections, campaigning on local or national issues, joining a political party for example the labour party, joining a pressure group or charity, volunteering to help run a voluntary group for example the scouts, assisting a charity in providing a service for example working in a charity shop. It can involve contacting a local councillor or local MP to voice your opinion on any issues in the community, publishing opinions in the media and being a member of a Trade Union. What happens when people don t get involved in their community? If people did not get involved in their community and they were not active citizens there would be far fewer people volunteering to give their time to run community groups, so there would be: fewer community activities, fewer special events, fewer activities to support charities, the environment might be neglected and wildlife could suffer, there would be a low turnout at elections and there would be a low participation in political activities.
Match the definition with the key term Keyword Word Search S T A T U T O R Y E X E N T K D R L I E I B I L L A S O E G F E A O R H L G I N E L N T M Y S C H R L L H K P L S A S A S P E W F D U T Y Q R O P W S C O M M O N S S B U E T H A S F N H L E G I S L A T I O N F T S S N A Z S E I N T E N M N E I P T R E Y B E A N D S O E L B A E L O R M M R N A U N D E I R R N N Y E P U H E M A E C L L U G O E B L V O T E R V T I I D L E B M O J Z E R C O O T A P L P W A Y R E L N H L R I M A D F N E E D U I G Y U A E E E R I N D E B A T E F T L S N E A S G T N I E A H F I F E T E D I S C R I F D E H O L D I S C R I M I N A T I O N O A W G T D J G A E K G N E N Statutory Employment Employee Rights Legislation Responsibilities Consumer Discrimination Vote Devolution Ballot Parliament Electoral Monarchy Debate Commons Lords Bill laws
TRUE OR FALSE TRUE OR FALSE? 1) In the UK First Past the Post is the voting system used. 2) The alternative vote is used in the USA. 3) Parliament consists of the house of lords, house of commons and committee s. 4) A bill needs to go to royal assent before they are passed and become a law. 5) Very little of the work done in parliament is done in committee s most of it is done during sessions in the house of lords or house of commons. 6) The Sale of Goods Act 1979 gives you the right to take a faulty item back to a shop. 7) The Health and Safety Act 1972 deals with all health and safety matters. 8) The Sale of Goods Act deals with services that you pay for. 9) Devolution is political power being given to other parliaments. 10) Statutory Rights are legal rights based on laws passed by parliament. 11) A Right is a duty to carry something out. 12) You get one vote in a general election. Match the pictures with the topic