GCSE Government and Politics

Unit 1 - Democracy in Action

Table Key: Activity   Watch  Read

Decision making

Decision making in a democracy

Content ElaborationNIA Education Service Resources

Role of MLAs:

Representation role

Interactive constituency map & election results and performance

Interactive game - ‘Work of an MLA’

Interactive game - ‘Constituency Time’ challenge

Representation explained animation

Getting Involved

Introduction to the Assembly

How the Assembly works

Visit to Northern Ireland Assembly through its Education Service - opportunity to meet with MLAs

Making Legislation

How laws are made in the Northern Ireland Assembly

Legislative role of an MLA and examples of recent bills

Bills 2017-2022 (www.niassembly.gov.uk)

To watch a debate live: 
www.niassembly.gov.uk

Scrutiny role

How the Assembly scrutinises the Executive i.e. opposition, committees, questions and debates

The Assembly and Executive

Scrutiny explained animation

Voting

How MLAs vote in the Assembly chamber and cross community voting

A video (from our archive) showing how MLAs vote in the Assembly chamber

Voting in the Chamber explained animation

Private Member’s Bills

How laws are made in the Northern Ireland Assembly

Legislation passed in the 2011-16 mandate with details of Private Member’s Bills

Private Members’ Bills (Non-Executive Bills) 2017 -22 (www.niassembly.gov.uk)

Opposition

Official Opposition

Scrutiny explained animation

Assembly and Executive

Question Time

Questions i.e. written/ oral and the role of the Speaker in Question Time

Interactive game - Take the Question Time challenge

Watch clips of previous Question Times: 
Assembly’s YouTube channel 
niassembly.tv/categories/question-time

From this page you can access information regarding Assembly questions which have been submitted for either written or oral answer

Committees

How committees work: 
Part 1 
Part 2

Information on the different types of Committees in the Northern Ireland Assembly

Information can be accessed here on current Assembly Committees and their work

Political parties

Taking action

Taking action in a democracy

Content ElaborationNIA Education Service Resources
The range of actions a citizen can take to achieve their aims and hold the powerful in society to account

Visit to Northern Ireland Assembly through its Education Service – opportunity to meet with MLAs

Getting Involved