60s - Liberalising Legislation Flashcards
What are Private Members Bills?
An opportunity for a backbencher or individual MP to introduce legislation for Parliament to discuss and potentially pass.
What was Labour’s manifesto’s approach towards liberalising legislation and the law?
They did not set out to liberalise society, and Labour leaders were fairly conservative and suspicious of change. They favoured ‘expert witnesses’ and a rational approach to the law.
What event gave the anti-hang campaign a boost?
The hanging of Ruth Ellis.
What had the Conservatives done in 1957 that preceded certain legislation?
They had reduced the number of offences that was punishable by the death penalty by approximately half.
What did Sydney Silverman do?
Put forwards a PMB for total abolition of the death penalty.
What was instated in 1965 and then in 1969?
The abolishment of the death penalty was trialled in 1965 for 5 years and made permanent in 1969.
What was passed in 1967 for the judicial system?
The beating of prisoners was banned.
What was passed in 1967 concerning juries?
Instead of a unanimous, 12-man jury decision it was changed to a 10-man majority vote could count as a successful result.
What was the lack of effect of the abolition of hanging?
It failed to reduce the number of violent crimes.
What were the acceptable grounds for reform before the 1969 Divorce Reform Act?
One party had to provide proof of infidelity on the part of another person.
What did the 1969 Divorce Reform Act allow for?
‘No Fault Divorce’ following the ‘irretrievable breakdown of a marriage’. This was on the condition of living apart for 2 years and both parties consenting or living apart for 5 years and one party consenting.
What was the change in divorce rate from 1950 to 1970?
In 1950 it was less than 2 divorces per 1000 couples, then it was nearly 10 per 1000 in 1970.
How many illegal abortions were performed annually before the Abortion Act?
100,000 to 200,000, with 35,000 women admitted to hospital with complications.
From 1958 to 1960, how many women died due to failed abortions?
82
What campaign lobbied for abortion reform, but what was the deciding factor?
The Abortion Law Reform Association, but the 1962 Thalidomide reform did more to sway public opinion.
What campaign was set up to oppose abortion reform?
1966 Society for the Protection Of The Unborn Child.
What did the 1967 Abortion Act enable?
Termination up to 28 weeks with the only necessary justification being ‘mental suffering’ on the part of the mother.
What was the increase in abortions from 1960 to 1970?
4 per 100 to 17.6 per 100.
In 1964, what did the Conservatives reject that was then passed under Labour?
They rejected the Wolfenden recommendation to legalise homosexuality.
What did the 1967 Sexual Offences Act decriminalise?
Homosexual relations.
What were the 3 conditions under which homosexuality was decriminalised?
If both partners gave consent
Both partners were over 21
Had to be in private
What was the main limitation of the 1967 Sexual Offences Act?
‘In Private’ was interpreted as alone in the entire building so prosecution continued.
About the 3 schooling systems, which attitude was mostly gone by the 1960s?
That the three schooling types were largely equal.
What were the secondary modern pupils seen as?
Largely failures.
Who was responsible for schooling and what did Labour do in Greater London?
The Local Education Authorities, and Labour established the first comprehensive schools in London.
Who accelerated the growth of comprehensive schooling?
Tim Crosland’s promotion to Education Secretary - he was a large supporter of this.
In 1964, what % of pupils were in a comprehensive school?
1 in 10 pupils.
What was Circular 10/65?
All schools had to convert to comprehensives.
By 1970, how many districts hadn’t converted to comprehensive schools?
8 authorities, and there were 1145 schools.
By 1970 how many students were in comprehensive schools?
1 in 3.
What did Wilson quote about comprehensive schools?
‘Grammar education for all’.
What was the Robbins Committee?
Formed in 1961 in response to Br lagging behind France, Germany and the USA in students in science and technology.
What replaced Colleges of Tech and what was the key difference?
Polytechnics, with the focus on teaching and not research.
How many Colleges of Advanced Tech became full universities?
9, the most significant of which being the Royal College of Science becoming Strathclyde University.
Which of the ‘new’ unis have I applied to?
Sussex.
How many new polytechnics and universities were founded by 1968?
30 new polytechnics and 56 universities.
What did new institutions allow for?
They made it possible to take a degree in town planning or architecture. This opened up higher education for those whose families hadn’t had anyone go to universities.
What did Wilson say he wanted to be remembered for?
The OU, which combined his enthusiasm for education, modernisation and the ‘white heat of the new technology’.
What did the OU offer?
High quality degree-level learning for those who couldn’t attend a traditional campus university.
What did Labour announce in March 1963?
The ‘University of the Air’, which they promised to install if they were elected.
Who was appointed to head the OU project following the 1964 Gen Elec?
Jamie Lee.
When and where was the OU established?
1969 in Milton Keynes, enough students had enrolled in order to be fully operational by 1971.
What mediums did they use for distance learning?
Radio and TV.
What type of people did the OU attract?
The mature, women and disadvantaged.
By 1980, how many students did it have and which universities did it outperform in degrees issued?
70,000 and more degrees than Oxbridge/year.
