ELS-Parliamentary Law-How Parliament works

Question 1

Difference between Parliament and government.

Answer 1

Government = run by country

Parliament = government needs to get their approval for new laws

Question 2

In the US, what 2 things are more clearly separated?

Answer 2

Congress and government

Question 3

Why is there an overlap in government and Parliament in Britain?

Answer 3

The leader of the biggest party in Parliament become Prime Minister (Head of government)

Question 4

3 elements of Parliament.

Answer 4

The House of Commons
The House of Lords
The Crown

Question 5

How many MPs are there?

Answer 5

650

Question 6

Define constituency.

Answer 6

Area of a country

Question 7

Who sits in the House of Commons?

Answer 7

MPs

Question 8

How often do general elections occur?

Answer 8

At least every 5 years

Question 9

When do by-elections occur?

Answer 9

When an individual MP resigns or dies

Question 10

The HoL is democratically elected.
True or false?

Answer 10

False-Is not elected

Question 11

Who was the HoL historically reserved for?

Answer 11

Hereditary peers and bishops

Question 12

Since 1999, what 3 groups sit in the HoL?

Answer 12

92 hereditary peers
700 life peers
26 bishops

Question 13

How are hereditary peers chosen for the HoL?

Answer 13

Chosen by all hereditary peers in a vote

Question 14

What is a Green Paper?

Answer 14

A consultative document issued by the government putting forward proposals for reform of the law.

Question 15

What is a White Paper?

Answer 15

Issued by the government stating how they are going to reform the law

Question 16

What is a Bill?

Answer 16

A proposed new law, which has yet to complete all the stages of going through Parliament

Question 17

What is an Act?

Answer 17

A law approved by Parliament

Question 18

What are public bills?

Answer 18

Affect the whole country or a large sections of it

Question 19

What are private bills?

Answer 19

Affect individuals or individual corporations

Question 20

Give an example of a private bill.

Answer 20

Faversham Oyster Fisheries Bill 2016

Question 21

What is a bill which is private and affects the public called?

Answer 21

Hybrid bill

Question 22

How are new bills introduced?

Answer 22

Through:
Government bills
Private members bills

Question 23

Most new bills are introduced by the government.
True or false?

Answer 23

True

Question 24

Who are government bills drafted by?

Answer 24

Lawyers in the civil service

Question 25

Who are private member bills introduced by?

Answer 25

Back-benchers

Question 26

What are the 2 ways a back-bencher is chosen to introduce a private member bill?

Answer 26

Ballot Ten-minute rule

Question 27

What is a the ballot for private member bills?

Answer 27

20 MPs selected at random get a chance to introduce a bill

Question 28

What is the ten-minute rule in private member bills?

Answer 28

MPs make a speech supporting new legislation

Question 29

Summarise the passage of a bill in the House of Commons.

Answer 29

1st reading 2nd reading Committee stage Report stage 3rd reading

Question 30

What happens at the 1st reading?

Answer 30

Name of bill read out

Question 31

Summarise the passage of a bill overall.

Answer 31

The House of Commons The House of Lords Royal Assent

Question 32

What happens at the 2nd reading?

Answer 32

MPs discuss the bill's broad principles

Question 33

What happens at the committee stage?

Answer 33

A smaller group of MPs (a Standing Committee) go through the Bill section by section, and can make amendments.

Question 34

What happens at the report stage?

Answer 34

All MPs vote on any amendments introduced at Committee stage

Question 35

What happens at the 3rd reading?

Answer 35

Usually a formality, MPs vote through the whole bill

Question 36

What happens to a bill in the HoL?

Answer 36

Goes through same 5 stages as in House of Commons. If the Lords make amendments, the bill will be passed back to the Commons to consider these ("ping pong")

Question 37

Why is Royal Assent needed to pass laws?

Answer 37

Is a formality

Question 38

No monarch has refused to give RA since?

Answer 38

Queen Anne in 1707

Question 39

Following the Parliament Acts of 1911 and 1949, what has happened to the HoL?

Answer 39

Its powers have been limited to improving laws and, at most, delaying them.

Question 40

What happens if the Lords reject a bill from the House of Commons?

Answer 40

The bill can be passed without the Lords approval if it is reintroduced in the Commons' next sessions and again passes through all 5 stages in the commons