A quiz!

The Beachcomber has brought to my attention a tome of great import. It's a quiz book of sorts, see if you can answer these questions which were selected at random (except for the careful choosing) and then I'll tell you what the quiz is:

What percentage of the workforce are women?
A 40%
B 45%
C 51%
D 65%

What proportion of young people who became first-time voters in the 2001 general election actually used their vote?
A One in two
B One in three
C One in five
D One in six
Note: the actual answer is 100%, but we know what they mean, don't we?

What percentage of Christians in the UK are Roman Catholic?
A 10%
B 20%
C 30%
D 40%

When is New Year celebrated in the United Kingdom?
A 1 January
B 1 March
C 25 December
D 31 December

When are local government elections held?
A April every two years
B June and December each year
C May each year
D September each year

Where can you get a mortgage from?
Select two correct answers from below
A A bank
B A building society
C An estate agent
D A housing association

On average, boys leave school with better qualifications than girls.
Is this statement true or false?
A True
B False

When is the national day for Northern Ireland?
A 1 March
B 17 March
C 23 April
D 30 November

If you are buying a home in Scotland who should you approach first?
A A bank
B A solicitor
C An estate agent
D Your local MP

What types of discrimination can the Equal Opportunities Commission help with?
A Discrimination related to disability
B Racial discrimination
C Religious discrimination
D Sex discrimination

Why was there a fall in the number of people migrating to the UK from the West Indies, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh in the late 1960s and early 1970s?
A A weak British currency made immigration less appealing
B It was becoming more difficult for immigrants to find employment in the UK
C New laws were introduced restricting immigration to Britain
D These countries were experiencing labour shortages

Which voting system is used to elect the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Assembly?
A A ranking or preferential system
B Assembly members are chosen by the government
C 'First past the post'
D Proportional representation

At what ages are the Key Stage Tests held in England?
A 10, 12 and 14
B 11, 15 and 17
C 7 and 15
D 7, 11 and 14

If you have a problem with your neighbours, who can you go to in order to solve the problem without taking the case to court?
A Lawyer
B Mediator
C Justice of the Peace
D Magistrate

What is the name of the ministerial position that is responsible for legal affairs?
A Chancellor of the Exchequer
B Foreign Secretary
C Home Secretary
D Lord Chancellor

When did married women gain the right to retain ownership of their own money and property?
A 1752
B 1792
C 1810
D 1882

What percentage of children live within a stepfamily?
A 10%
B 25%
C 40%
D 55%

Hereditary peers have lost the right to attend the House of Lords. Is this statement true or false?
A True
B False

What is the title of the King or Queen within the Church of England?
A Archbishop of Canterbury
B Governor General
C Head Priest
D Supreme Governor

When might you need a CRB check?
A When applying for welfare benefits
B When applying for work that involves children or vulnerable people
C When buying a house
D When requesting medical treatment from the NHS

At what age do school children take their first national test in Wales?
A 7
B 9
C 11
D 14

What is the distance from John O'Groats on the north coast of Scotland to Land's End in the south-west corner of England?
A Approximately 1,100 miles (1,770 kilometres)
B Approximately 1,310 miles (2,110 kilometres)
C Approximately 500 miles (800 kilometres)
D Approximately 870 miles (1,400 kilometres)

What is the name of the established church in Scotland?
A The Anglican Church
B The Church of England
C The Episcopal Church
D The Presbyterian Church

When will the British government adopt the euro as the UK's currency?
A 2010
B 2015
C Never
D When the British people vote for it in a referendum

There are more men in study at university than women.
Is this statement true or false?
A True
B False

How many member states are there in the Commonwealth?
A 25 member states
B 39 member states
C 53 member states
D 75 member states

What is the purpose of the Council of Europe?
A To create a single market for members of the council
B To create new European regulations and directives
C To debate proposals, decisions and expenditure of the European Commission
D To develop conventions which focus on human rights, democracy, education, the environment, health and culture.

There you are - 27 questions. For the real quiz there are 24 selected from the database of about 400 (random selection by a computer - the quiz is completed on a computer as well). You get 45 minutes in which to get at least 18 correct answers. If you pass, you get to go onto the next stage where you swear the oath of allegiance:

I (name) swear by Almighty God that on becoming a British citizen, I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, her Heirs and Successors, according to law.

(You can affirm instead), and then you make the citizenship pledge:

I will give my loyalty to the United Kingdom and respect its rights and freedoms. I will uphold its democratic values. I will observe its laws faithfully and fulfil my duties and obligations as a British citizen.

Then you have to sing the national anthem. As the book says:

all British citizens should know the words. It is very short - only 29 words long.

So there you have it - officially - that's what makes you British, knowing this kind of "fact" and swearing those oaths.
Doesn't it make you proud?

Friends of the Beachcomber will be delighted to know that the Doc passed.