Government Processes For Law Making 1.1

Question 1

What are the two sources of law in England and Wales?

Answer 1

-The government
-The judiciary

Question 2

What is Parliament made up of?

Answer 2

-The monarch
-House of Lords
-House of Commons

Question 3

What is the difference between government and parliament?

Answer 3

-Gov= political party with the majority of MP’s and seats, elected in. They run and lead the UK. Manage the country and how taxes are spent etc
-Parliament = people elected to represent constituents and their interests and make sure that the government take them into account. Parliament has to agree to new laws. Monitor how the government run things

Question 4

Who makes up the House of Lords?
What is their role?

Answer 4

-Used to be noblemen and was hereditary
-Members now appointed due to experience and expertise in professions.
-Challenge the work of the government
-800 members. 26 archbishops, 92 hereditary peers, rest are life peers who can’t pass to children.
-Expertise in medicine law and armed forced
-Debate and amend new laws, ask gov questions, double check laws

Question 5

Who makes up the House of Commons?

Answer 5

-650Mp’s one for each constituency
-Elected representatives elected by general public who vote when over 18
-Mp’s represent a political party
-Raise issues that affect their constituents, propose new laws
-Challenge gov work

Question 6

What is the acronym for the parliamentary stages of a bill?

Answer 6

Green Winged Dragons Fly Slowly Clockwise Round The Old Ruins

Question 7

What does each part of the acronym stand for?

Answer 7

Green Paper, White paper, Draft bill, First reading, Second reading, Committee stage, report stage, third reading, other house, royal assent

Question 8

Green paper

Answer 8

-Consultative document on topic, gov put view forward with proposals for reform
-Provokes public discussion
-Qu’s for intended indiv’s to respond to
-get opinions about what the law should say
-eg pubs and clubs as well as the police and ambulance for 24hr drinking

Question 9

White paper

Answer 9

-Firm proposals for law reform
-sets out detailed plans for legislation and is a draft version

Question 10

Draft bill

Answer 10

Draft law going through parliament before it goes through all stages to become an act

Question 11

What are the two types of bill?

Answer 11

-Private and public

Question 12

Give two types of public bill and explain them

Answer 12

-Government bills: introduced and sponsored by the government. Likely to be passed as have majority of seats in House of Commons
-Private members bills: introduced and sponsored by individual mp’s

Question 13

First reading

Answer 13

-Bill introduced, usually in commons
-name and main aims of the bill are read out
-no discussion or vote
-let members know about a bill coming up for discussion
-formality

Question 14

Second reading

Answer 14

Main debate and discussion on bill
Vote at end formally or verbally
Result declared by speaker
Gov usually win as have majority
Minister explains purpose and answers qu’s

Question 15

Committee stage

Answer 15

Separate committee of MP’s who scrutinises each line of bill in detail
16-50Mp’s

Question 16

Report stage

Answer 16

Bill comes back to HC so amendments made by committee can be seen
Consider report and vote on amendments

Question 17

Third reading

Answer 17

-Final chance for debate, no amendments
-vote to pass or reject
-only debate if 6+ MP’s request

Question 18

Other house

Answer 18

Bill passed to lords, same stages as the commons. If amend then return back to HC

Question 19

Royal assent

Answer 19

Goes to monarch for signing
Agreement to make bill into act
Formality
Into force immediately

Question 20

What are examples of acts that were introduced by the government and passed by parliament?

Answer 20

-The Criminal Justice Act 2003 ( modernise criminal justice system, address issues relating to sentencing youth justice and evidence and treatment, judge can sit alone on trial)
-The Crime sentences act 1997 (changes in relation to mentally ill and juvenile offenders, obligatory minimum sentences for serious offences)