Which statement best describes parliamentary sovereignty in the UK?

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Multiple Choice

Which statement best describes parliamentary sovereignty in the UK?

Parliamentary sovereignty means Parliament sits at the top of the legal order and has the final say over law. It can make, amend, or repeal any law on any matter. Importantly, no court can strike down an Act of Parliament simply because it disagrees with it—Acts stand until Parliament itself changes them. And because sovereignty rests in Parliament, a future Parliament can also repeal or alter past Acts. That combination—ultimate legislative authority, and the ability of future Parliaments to rework previous laws—defines the concept. In practice there are constraints on how sovereignty operates: devolution has transferred significant law‑making powers to Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, shaping how laws are made and applied; and international treaties and conventions can influence how Parliament uses its power, often requiring changes through subsequent Acts or guiding constitutional norms. But the fundamental idea remains that Parliament is the supreme legal authority. The other statements misstate this: a monarch does not veto legislation in the modern system, courts do not override Acts of Parliament, and Parliament can indeed repeal or alter past laws.

Parliamentary sovereignty means Parliament sits at the top of the legal order and has the final say over law. It can make, amend, or repeal any law on any matter. Importantly, no court can strike down an Act of Parliament simply because it disagrees with it—Acts stand until Parliament itself changes them. And because sovereignty rests in Parliament, a future Parliament can also repeal or alter past Acts. That combination—ultimate legislative authority, and the ability of future Parliaments to rework previous laws—defines the concept.

In practice there are constraints on how sovereignty operates: devolution has transferred significant law‑making powers to Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, shaping how laws are made and applied; and international treaties and conventions can influence how Parliament uses its power, often requiring changes through subsequent Acts or guiding constitutional norms. But the fundamental idea remains that Parliament is the supreme legal authority. The other statements misstate this: a monarch does not veto legislation in the modern system, courts do not override Acts of Parliament, and Parliament can indeed repeal or alter past laws.

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