Task XVI. Above are the depictions of the orders listed in Task XVII. Match the pictures with the definitions given in the exercise.

 

Task XVII. Read the following text. Mind the underlined realia. Mind the pronunciation.

 

Government

The British government operates at both na­tional (central) and local levels. Nationally, it is represented by the body of ministers who administer the country's affairs under the Prime Minister. The Sovereign appoints as prime minister the leader of the party that has a majority in the House of Commons.

The Prime Minister not only presides over the ministers but by tradition holds the post of First Lord of the Treasury and Minister for the Civil Service. The Prime Minister also appoints an advisory council of about 20 ministers. This is the Cabinet, which meets once or twice a week, whether Parliament is sitting or not.

Most but not all the Cabinet ministers are in charge of a government department and have the title 'Secretary of State' or simply 'Minister'. The head of the finance department, called the Treasury, has the title "Chancellor of the Exchequer'. There are Secretaries of State for the Home Office, Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Wales, Employment, Defense, Trade and Industry, Health, Education and Science, Scotland, Transport, Energy, Social Security, the Environment, and Northern Ireland. All these are in the Cabinet, as are holders of other traditional offices, such as the Lord President of the Council, who do not have responsibility for a government department.

After the Cabinet ministers come the four Law officers, under the Lord Chancellor, and the Ministers of State, who work with the heads of department and who often have specific functions. They in turn are followed by the junior ministers, who are usually known as 'Under-Secretaries of State'. Like the Ministers of State, they work with specific departments.

Until the system of Cabinet government developed in the 18th century, the chief executive body was the Privy Council. This still exists, but is now the private council of the Queen, as head of state. It comprises all Cabinet ministers, as 'Privy Councillors', together with a number of other distinguished people from both Britain and the Commonwealth. There are about 390 Privy Councillors. A full session of the Privy Council is held only on the death of the sovereign or when he or she announces an intention to marry.

Apart from the government departments, there are other bodies that play a part in the process of government. Examples of these are the Arts Council of Great Britain, the British Council, and the Commission for Racial Equality.

Local government is carried out by local authorities led by elected councils, which may not necessarily represent the political party of the central government in Parliament. Their link with central government is through the Department of the Environment. Other departments also concerned with local government functions are the Department of Education and Science, the Department of Social Security, and the Home Office. In Scotland local government is the overall responsibility of the Scottish Office, in Wales of the Welsh Office, and in Northern Ireland of the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland.

Elected councils operate at several levels. There are town councils, borough councils, district councils and county councils. There are also parish councils in rural areas. There are 53 counties in Britain, within which are 369 districts. In London, the local authorities are the councils of the 32 boroughs and the Corporation of the City of London. Until recently Greater London had its own council, the Greater London Council (GLC), but this was abolished in 1986.

County councils, which are responsible for the widest areas, deal with the general planning and administration in a county, while district councils operate more locally. This means that county councils are responsible for such aspects as transport, education, police, the fire service and social services, while district councils oversee such matters as housing, environmental health and refuse collection.

 

Task XVIII. Install the following realia concerning government into the following context.

 

Cabinet. benches. Foreign Secretary.

Backbenchers. Budget. Shadow Cabinet

Prime Minister. Speaker Home Secretary.