Law Making Flashcards
How long of parliaments time is spent making and amending legislation
AboUt a 1/3
About how many pages of legislation is passed each year
2000
What is a public bill
One that concerns the general public interest
What is a private bill
One that concerns a specific individual or group interest
Who introduces a private member bill
An individual MP
Name 2 examples of Private members bills
- Sidney silvermans abolition of capital punishment (1965)
- David Steels Abortion Act (1967)
Briefly state the process of the passage of a bill
The first reading The second reading Committee stage Report stage Third reading HoC= later stages Royal assent Review of the act
Explain the first reading
Purely formal
No debate
Title is read
Explain the second reading
Debate on the main principles of the bill
Held in the chamber
No amendments can be made
House votes at end on the bill
Explain the committee stage
A committee is specially convened of MPs, scritinised and here will be reccomended for amendments
Explain report stage
Takes place in the chamber and only amendments are discussed (aka consideration)
Explain third reading
In commons- another general discussion is held of the bill
Takes place immediately after report
No new amendments are longer possible
What happens in the later stages of passing a bill
Both houses must agree on the text of the bill
If it’s amended once it’s in the lords it must go back to the commons to be reconsidered
The commons can reject the amendments and suggest alternatives
Aka parliamentary ping pong
Explain royal assent
It must be given the approval by the head of state
After this it will come into effect 2 months later
Giving people the time needed to adapt
Explain the review of the act
Occurs 3-5 years later to review how it has worked in practise, an assessment is completed and submitted to a committee which decided whether further review is necessary
