Identify and assess the various controls on government power in the United Kingdom.

Content ought to include a breakdown of political and legal control mechanisms. Political control might fall under two headings, Parliamentary control and public control. The former comprises Select Committees, questions to Ministers and PMQs, MPs raising issues with departments, the non-partisan capacity of the House of Lords, and potentially a discussion of the fundamentally sovereign nature of Parliament. The latter heading could include discussion of the role of General Elections in controlling the government, the role and influence of the media or parts of it, and the impact of direct democracy, such as petitions or referendums. Legal control might comprise judicial review, and tribunals/ombudsmen. At a basic level, this would recognise the role the judiciary plays in reviewing the exercise of discretionary government power. Stronger answers might look at the role of public sector ombudsmen such as the PCA, or the tribunals system. The very top answers might move beyond a political/legal distinction, and examine other factors, including constitutional conventions or principles, and government self-restraint, ie the hierarchy of government checking itself, or policy regulations affecting members of the government.A note on style and analysis - answers should not only identify, but evaluate the strength of each factor in controlling the government. To do this, a clear introduction needs to set out the line of argument, and state what the answer defines as ‘control’. Stronger answers will draw links between factors (eg how access to the ombudsman is tied to MPs representing constituents). The strongest answers will contain some nuance - factors may not always be strong or weak, but may change according to other factors, eg parliamentary majority, recognition of convention etc.