1.1

Question 1

government processes of law making

Answer 1

• first reading
• second reading
• the committee stage
• the report stage
• third reading
• the lords
• royal assent

Question 2

first reading

Answer 2

• government introduces a bill into the commons
• this is a formal announcement of the bill
• followed by a vote

Question 3

second reading

Answer 3

• the main principles of the bill are considered and debated in the House of Commons
• a vote is taken
• if the government has the support of a majority of MPs, they win the vote
• the bill goes to the next stage

Question 4

the committee stage

Answer 4

• the bill is looked at in detail
• this is done via a small committee of MPs from different parties
• they report back to the house of commons
• may propose amendments

Question 5

the report stage

Answer 5

• this gives MPs the opportunity to look at the committee’s report and will debate and vote on amendments
• some major bills may hold debates over several days

Question 6

third reading

Answer 6

• the third reading is the final chance for the commons to debate the bill’s contents
• no further amendments are allowed - the house votes to reject or pass the bill

Question 7

the lords

Answer 7

• the bill goes to the House of Lords
• it goes through the same stages as the commons
• if the Lord amend the bill, it goes back to the House of Commons so MPs can accept or reject amendments
• the House of Commons will have the final say as they are elected representatives of the people

Question 8

royal assent

Answer 8

• once passed by both houses, it is signed by the monarchs
• this is their agreement to turn the bill into an Act of Parliament or a Law
• the new law then becomes enforced straight away

Question 9

government definition

Answer 9

• run the country
• formed by the political party that has the majority of 650 MPs
• the Prime Minister is the leader of the majority party
• Proposals for new laws come from the government

Question 10

Bill definition

Answer 10

• a proposal for a new law

Question 11

green paper definition

Answer 11

• an initial report to trigger public discussion of the subject
• includes questions of interested individuals and organisations to respond to

Question 12

white paper definition

Answer 12

• after a consultation, the government publishes the White Paper
• sets out detailed plans for legislation
• includes a draft version of the bill to put before parliament

Question 13

the judical process of law making
- statutory interpretation

Answer 13

• supreme court judges must come together and preside over an appeal
• they must come to a majority decision that there is a point of law of general public importance
• they decide if there is an error in the law and create a predecent

Question 14

interpretation rules

Answer 14

• the literal rule
• the golden rule
• the mischief rule

Question 15

the literal rule

Answer 15

• judges should use the everyday meaning of words in state, but words can have several meanings

Question 16

the golden rule

Answer 16

• used to avoid a literal rule leading to an absurd result

Question 17

the mischief rule

Answer 17

• allows the court to enforce what the statue was intended to achieve, rather than what the words actually state