The Act of Settlement of 1701 was
designed to secure the Protestant succession to the throne, and to strengthen
the guarantees for ensuring parliamentary system of government. The
constitutional provisions of this act was: (a) It provided that after the death
of William and his sister-in-law, Anne, without heirs the English crown was to
pass to Electress Sophia was the
grand-daughter of James I of England. There are other nearer heirs but they
were all passed over as Catholics. (b) All future kings must belong to the
Church of England. (c) England must not be involved in any foreign war without
the consent of Parliament. (d) Judges were to receive fixed salaries and were
not to be removed from their office except on petition by parliament to the
king. This secured the independence of the judges for they were to hold office
not at the king’s pleasure but as long as they behaved themselves well. (e) No
royal pardon could be produced as an answer to impeachment. This clause finally
established the responsibility of the king’s ministers for all acts of state. The
Act of Settlement not only addressed the dynastic and religious aspects of
succession, it also further restricted the powers and prerogatives of the
Crown.