2.6 Liberal reforming legislation, 1964-70

Question 1

Who was the Home Secretary in Wilson’s government from December 1965?

Answer 1

Roy Jenkins

Question 2

How were the majority of liberal reforms passed?

Answer 2

Private members’ bills, allowed enough parliamentary time by Jenkins

Question 3

When was Ruth Ellis convicted of murdering her abusive boyfriend?

Answer 3

1955

Question 4

When was hanging abolished for a trial period of 5 years, by free vote?

Answer 4

1965, made permanent in 1969

Question 5

What else did Jenkins do surrounding the criminal system?

Answer 5

refused to authorise the beating of prisoner - ceased after 1967
brought in ‘majority’ verdicts for English juries instead of unanimity

Question 6

When was the Divorce Reform Act passed?

Answer 6

1969

Question 7

What did the Divorce Reform Act allow?

Answer 7

for a ‘no fault divorce’ following the ‘irretrievable breakdown of a marriage’

Question 8

In 1950, how many divorce decrees had there been per 1000 married couples in England and Wales?

Answer 8

fewer than 2 per 1000 married couples

Question 9

By the mid-1970s how many out of 1000 marriages end in divorce?

Answer 9

nearly 10 in every 1000

Question 10

Until when was abortion, except on strictly medical grounds, illegal?

Answer 10

1967

Question 11

Before legalisation, how many illegal abortions were performed each year? How many women were admitted to hospitals with complications as a result?

Answer 11

Between 100,000 and 200,000 illegal abortions were performed each year. Around 35,000 women admitted to hospital

Question 12

Between 1958 and 1960, how many women died after backstreet abortions?

Answer 12

82

Question 13

What group campaigned for reform in abortion law since 1945?

Answer 13

The Abortion Law Reform Association

Question 14

What group campaigned against reform in abortion law?

Answer 14

Set up in 1966 - the Society for the Protection of the Unborn Child

Question 15

What event had the greatest sway on public opinion on abortion?

Answer 15

the thalidomide disaster of 1959 to 1962

Question 16

What Liberal MP led the reform campaign in parliament on abortion? Who was he supported by?

Answer 16

David Steel, supported by Labour government and also a number of Conservatives
Jenkins ensured an all-night Commons sitting to pass bill

Question 17

What did the Abortion Act permit?

Answer 17

legal termination of a pregnancy within the first 28 weeks, under medical supervision + with written consent of 2 doctors - only justification needed ‘mental suffering’

Question 18

How did the number of abortions increase from 1968 and 1975?

Answer 18

4 in 100 live births 1968 (35,000)
17.6 in 100 live births 1975 (141,000)

Question 19

What report had recommended the decriminalisation of homosexuality, that the Conservative government had rejected?

Answer 19

Wolfenden Report

Question 20

What Act decriminalised homosexuality?

Answer 20

1967 Sexual Offences Act

Question 21

Under what circumstances were homosexual acts decriminalised?

Answer 21

• both partners had to consent, over the age of 21
• in private

Question 22

What were responsible for schools? What had they established in some areas?

Answer 22

Local Education Authorities (LEAs) - in some areas (e.g. Labour-controlled Greater London), had established comprehensive schools

Question 23

By 1964, what fraction of children were being educated in a comprehensive? Compared to 1951?

Answer 23

1 in 10 (10x as many as in 1951)

Question 24

Who was minister of education from 1965?

Answer 24

Tony Crosland - leading supporter of the comprehensive system

Question 25

What did Crosland issue in 1965?

Answer 25

Circular 10/65 to all Local Education Authorities, requesting them to convert to comprehensive schools

Question 26

Why did many authorities respond to 10/65, although not a statutory requirement?

Answer 26

especially after 1966, when government made money for new school buildings, conditional on planning of comprehensives

Question 27

By 1970, how many authorities had not followed Circular 10/65?

Answer 27

only 8 authorities

Question 28

By 1970, there were ...... comprehensive schools catering for 1 in .... of all state-educated secondary pupils

Answer 28

By 1970, there were 1145 comprehensive schools catering for 1 in 3 of all state-educated secondary pupils

Question 29

what did Wilson say about comprehensives?

Answer 29

a 'grammar school education for all'

Question 30

what did some unconvinced middle class parents turn to for schooling, instead of comprehensives?

Answer 30

direct grant schools (phased out from 1976) and independent schools

Question 31

What did the Robbins Report find?

Answer 31

that Britain lagged behind France, Germany and the US in the provision of university places + too many students followed arts-related courses to the exclusion of science and technology

Question 32

Following the Robbins Report, what were Polytechnics?

Answer 32

Replaced Colleges of Technology - focus on applied education for work and science + would concentrate on teaching rather than research

Question 33

By 1968, how many polytechnics were there, and how many universities?

Answer 33

there were 30 polytechnics and 56 universities

Question 34

When were Open University's headquarters established in Milton Keynes? When did the first students begin studies?

Answer 34

September 1969, January 1971

Question 35

By 1980, how many students did the Open University have a year?

Answer 35

70,000, awarding more degrees than Oxford and Cambridge combined