Acts Of Parliament

Question 1

Where law comes from

Answer 1

Our law comes from parliament 750 years ago

Question 2

Introducing acts

Answer 2

• the majority are introduced by the government
• they’re first drafted by lawyers in civil service ( parliamentary counsel to the treasury)
• instructions are included and the effect the laws expected to have are given by government department

Question 3

Bills

Answer 3

• when the proposed act has been drafted it’s published - this stage is called a bill
• they only become an act of Parliament when it completes all necessary stages in parliament

Public bill

• involves matters of public policy which will affect the whole country or a large section
• most government Bills are in this category, constitutional reform act 2005

Private Bills

• only affects individual people it cooperations, not whole communities
• Whitehaven Habour Act 2007

Private Member Bills

• bills can be sponsored by individual MP’s
• 20 private members are selected who take turns preventing a Bill to Parliament
• debate time is limited (usually Friday’s) so everyone has a chance of being able to introduce a bill
• few bills have become law this way
• Abortion Act 1967, Marriage Act 1994

10 minute rule

• any MP makes a speech up to 10 minutes supporting the intro of new legislation
• rarely successful unless no one opposes to the Bill
• Bail (Amendment) Act 1993
• members of House of Lords also introduce Private Member Bills

Question 4

House of Commons

Answer 4

• democratically elected body which dominates the legislative process

Question 5

Parliamentary process

Answer 5

1. Green paper
2. White paper
3. First reading
4. Second reading
5. Committee stage
6. Report stage
7. Third reading
8. Repeat in House of Lords
9. Royal assent

This process happens in the House of Commons

Question 6

Process in parliament

Answer 6

• to become and act, the bill has to be passed by both House of Lords and House of Commons
• each has a long and complex process
• bills can start in either house except finance bills only in House of Commons

The green and white paper is the bill

Question 7

Where law comes from

Answer 7

Our law comes from parliament 750 years ago

Question 8

Introducing acts

Answer 8

• the majority are introduced by the government
• they’re first drafted by lawyers in civil service ( parliamentary counsel to the treasury)
• instructions are included and the effect the laws expected to have are given by government department

Question 9

Bills

Answer 9

• when the proposed act has been drafted it’s published - this stage is called a bill
• they only become an act of Parliament is it completes all necessary stages in parliament

Public bill

• involves matters of public policy which will affect the whole country or a large section
• most government Bills are in this category, constitutional reform act 2005

Private Bills

• only affects individual people it cooperations, not whole communities
• Whitehaven Habour Act 2007

Private Member Bills

• bills can be sponsored by individual MP’s
• 20 private members are selected who take turns preventing a Bill to Parliament
• debate time is limited (usually Friday’s) so everyone has a chance of being able to introduce a bill
• few bills have become law this way
• Abortion Act 1967, Marriage Act 1994

10 minute rule

• any MP makes a speech up to 10 minutes supporting the intro of new legislation
• rarely successful unless no one opposes to the Bill
• Bail (Amendment) Act 1993
• members of House of Lords also introduce Private Member Bills

Question 10

House of Commons

Answer 10

• democratically elected body which dominates the legislative process

Question 11

Parliamentary process

Answer 11

1. Green paper
2. White paper
3. First reading
4. Second reading
5. Committee stage
6. Report stage
7. Third reading
8. Repeat in House of Lords
9. Royal assent

This process happens in the House of Commons

Question 12

Process in parliament

Answer 12

• to become and act, the bill has to be passed by both House of Lords and House of Commons
• each has a long and complex process
• bills can start in either house except finance bills only in House of Commons

The green and white paper is the bill

Question 13

First reading

Answer 13

• it’s a formal procedure
• name and main aims of the bill are read out
• usually no discussion takes place
• this is laid before the House of Commons

Question 14

Green paper

Answer 14

This is a consultation document

Question 15

White paper

Answer 15

This is a firm proposal

Question 16

Second reading

Answer 16

• the main debate on the whole bill, MP’s debate principals behind the bill
• it doesn’t focus on small details
• MP’s who want to speak must catch the speakers eye
• the speaker controls debates and no one speaks without being called on by the speaker
• an end vote is taken

Question 17

Committee stage

Answer 17

• a clause by clause consideration of the bill
• detailed examination of each clause of the bill is undertaken by the committee between 16 and 50 MP’s
• done by a standing committee - committee chosen specifically for that bill
• made of those special interest of knowledge in the subject of the bill
• finance bills - whole house sits in committee

Question 18

Report stage

Answer 18

• the committees amendments are reported
• committee report back to house on the amendments
• these debates in the house are rejected or accepted
• further amendments can be added

Question 19

Third reading

Answer 19

• final vote and debate on the bill

- just a formality as unlikely to fail at this stage

Question 20

House of Lords

Answer 20

• goes through the same process

- if more amendments need to be made it will go back to the House of Commons

Question 21

Royal assent

Answer 21

• formally when a bill is signed on behalf of the monarch
• last time it was refused was in 1707
• Royal Assent Act 1961

Question 22

Parliament Acts 1911 and 1949

Answer 22

• these allow the bill to become law even if the House of Lords reject it - only if next session of parliaments introduces it
• only been used 4 times
  1. War Crimes Act 1991
  2. European Parliament Election Act 1999
  3. Sexual Offences (Amend) Act 2000
  4. Hunting Act 2004

Question 23

Commencement of an act

Answer 23

• after Royal assent - come in force on midnight of the same day
• minister can fix the commencement date
• Easter Act 1928 is not in force yet

Question 24

Advantages and disadvantages

Answer 24

length of process

• the lengthy process ensures mistakes should be spotted and corrected
• this means that it can take a long time for an act to be passed - usually around 2 years

Committee

• the standing committee are supposed to be impartial and check bills for errors
• however they are still MP’s and therefore will have a vested interest in any bill, potentially a cause of bias

Parliament

• when a party has a large majority they can force through legislation
• this is how democracy should work - if they have a large majority then they have earned that right

Language

• due to all of the changes that can be made, the language can become confused, obscure and complex
• however the checks that occur should allow all contingencies to be covered for