ELS - Law making: parliamentary law making (C3) Flashcards
A key principle in democracy is that laws should be made by who?
The elected representatives of society
Which House is considered a non-elected body?
The House of Lords
What three types of members are featured in the House of Lords?
- Hereditary peers
- Life peers
- Senior bishops
What is a Green Paper in legal terms?
A consultative document issued by the government putting forward proposals for reform of the law
What is a White Paper in legal terms?
A document issued by the government stating their decisions as to how they are going to reform the law
What is a Bill in legal terms?
The name for a draft law going through Parliament before it passes all the parliamentary stages to become an Act of Parliament
What is a private members’ Bill?
A Bill introduced by by MPs and Lords who are not government ministers (often referred to as backbenchers)
Give an example of an Act that started as a private members’ Bill
- Abortion Act 1967
- Marriage Act 1994
- Household Waste Recycling Act 2003
What are the two ways a private MP can introduce a Bill?
- By ballot
- Through the ‘ten-minute’ rule
What is a ballot?
A ballot will be allowed each parliamentary session whereby 20 private members can take their turn in presenting a Bill to Parliament.
What is the ‘ten-minute’ rule?
Any MP may make a speech of up to 10 minutes supporting the introduction of new legislation.
Give an example of an Act of Parliament that has been introduced via the ‘ten-minute’ rule
Bail (Amendment) Act 1993
What is a Public Bill?
Bills that will affect either the whole country or a large section of it.
Give an example of an Act that started as a Public Bill
- Legal Services Act 2007
- Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012
- Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015
What is a Private Bill?
A Bill that will only affect individual people or corporations, these do not affect the whole community
Give an example of an Act that started as a private Bill
Faversham Oyster Fishery Company Act 2017
What is a Hybrid Bill?
A cross between Public Bills and Private Bills, introduced by the government and will affect affect a particular person, organisation or place.
What happens if the House of Commons votes against a Bill?
That is the end of the Bill