In the context of the United Kingdom, how many persons of Indian origin were serving as Members of Parliament in the House of Commons at the time referred to in the question?

Difficulty: Medium

Correct Answer: 12

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
The increasing representation of people of Indian origin in foreign legislatures is an important aspect of global diaspora studies and international general knowledge. The United Kingdom's House of Commons, the lower house of Parliament, has seen a steady rise in the number of Members of Parliament (MPs) with Indian roots. This question asks about the specific number of Indian origin MPs serving in the House of Commons at a particular time, a fact that appeared in international current affairs sections.


Given Data / Assumptions:

  • The context is the UK House of Commons.
  • The focus is on MPs of Indian origin, not all MPs.
  • Options are 10, 12, 15 and 19.
  • We assume the question refers to a widely reported snapshot from a particular general election term where exam notes stated a specific count.


Concept / Approach:
For such questions, the approach relies on recall of a specific numerical fact from current affairs. After a certain UK general election, exam oriented news summaries highlighted that 12 MPs of Indian origin were elected to the House of Commons. Recognising this figure and linking it to the question makes it possible to choose the correct option. Approximate reasoning based on the scale of diaspora representation also helps eliminate extreme values.


Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that articles about Indian diaspora in UK politics mentioned a record or notable number of Indian origin MPs in a particular election. Step 2: Remember that the figure mentioned in many exam capsules was 12, not a very small number like 10 nor a much larger one like 19. Step 3: Compare this with the options given: 10, 12, 15 and 19. Step 4: Eliminate numbers that do not match the remembered fact. 15 and 19 are significantly higher than the widely reported figure, and 10 is lower than what was emphasised as a new high. Step 5: Select 12 as the correct answer.


Verification / Alternative check:
Verification can be performed by linking the figure to commentary about diversity in the UK Parliament, where specific names of Indian origin MPs were listed and their total count noted as 12. Many exam preparation booklets summarising international affairs for that year repeated this number as a highlight, confirming that 12 is accurate for the timeframe referred to in the question.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:
10: This might represent an earlier count in previous parliaments but was not the figure emphasised in the latest reports at the time covered by the question.
15 and 19: These numbers are larger than what was actually reported and would have attracted much more dramatic headlines if true. Since most sources consistently quoted 12, these options are incorrect.


Common Pitfalls:
Candidates sometimes confuse different statistics, such as the total number of MPs of South Asian origin versus those of Indian origin specifically. Others may guess a larger number based on the overall size of the Indian diaspora in the UK without checking what the actual elected representation is. Maintaining concise notes with exact figures keyed to each election helps avoid such confusion.


Final Answer:
At the time referred to in the question, there were 12 persons of Indian origin serving as Members of Parliament in the UK House of Commons.

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