3. Parliament Flashcards
What is the default position on how long Parliament lasts, and what happens afterwards?
5 years. Parliament is dissolved; all MPs vacate their seats and a general election is held
Before its recent repeal, what were the two ways in which a election can be held before the end of the five-year term, under the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011?
- Motion of no confidence is passed in House of Commons, and a Motion of confidence is not passed within 14 days, or
- 66% of all MPs (434/650) vote for an early election
Now a general election can be called at any time
Within what time limit must a bill pass the House of Commons, House of Lords, and receive Royal Assent?
Within the parliamentary session that the bill was first introduced to Parliament
What is the exception to the general rule that a bill must become law within the parliamentary session it is introduced?
If the House of Commons or the House of Lords agree to carry-over the bill to the next session
What are the five stages of the legislative process which take place within both the House of Lords and the House of Commons?
- First reading
- Second reading
- Committee stage
- Report stage
- Third reading
What happens at the first reading?
The bill is formally introduced
What happens at the second reading?
The bill is debated for the first time
What happens at the committee stage?
The bill is scrutinised line by line and amendments are tabled
What are the two main types of committee in the House of Commons, how many MPs does the first consist of, and which is the only one which applies in the House of Lords?
- Public Bill Committee (16-30 MPs)
2 Committee of the Whole House (only one which applies in House of Lords)
Who first considers any amendments made to a bill?
The house which first considered the bill
Does the House of Lords have the same powers as the House of Commons to the make legislation?
Yes
What is the Salisbury convention?
If a government bill is implementing a commitment made in a party manifesto, the House of Lords will always grant a second reading, but also retain the right to make amendments at a later stage
What the House of Lord’s suspensory veto under the Parliament Acts 1911-1949?
If the House of Lords block a piece of legislation passed by the House of Commons, and the bill is reintroduced in the next session, any further House of Lords blocks are irrelevant, and the bill is sent for Royal Assent
What is the one condition for the suspensory veto to not be available to the House of Lords to block legislation a second time?
A year needs to have elapsed between the bill’s Second Reading in the first session and the Third Reading in the second session
What is secondary legislation?
Legislation made by government under the authority of an Act of Parliament
