Law Reform

Question 1

What do political parties do around the time of a general election?

Answer 1

Create a manifesto:
Publish a list of their policies
Suggest reforms and new law they’d introduce if elected

Question 2

2 Advantages of political parties

Answer 2

Have a manifesto ready, with set aims
Members of the HOL have expertise in a wide range of topics

Question 3

2 Disadvantages of political parties

Answer 3

Policy proposals can be forced through if a gov has a large majority of seats in the HOC
Aversion from their manifesto in a time of crisis (e.g. Covid-19)

Question 4

What are pressure groups?

Answer 4

Groups of people who campaign as they have a special interest in a subject or cause- bring their interest/cause to the attention of the general public and gov

Question 5

What are the two main types of pressure group?

Answer 5

Sectional
Cause

Question 6

What are sectional pressure groups?

Answer 6

They exist to represent the interests of a group of people, often representing workers’ groups

Question 7

What are cause pressure groups?

Answer 7

They exist to promote a particular cause, for example environmental groups such as Greenpeace or Just Stop Oil

Question 8

2 Advantages of pressure groups

Answer 8

Have experts in their membership
Raise important issues

Question 9

2 Disadvantages of pressure groups

Answer 9

They seek to impose their ideas on the public, even with limited public support
Sometimes two pressure groups have conflicting interests- campaigning for opposing actions

Question 10

What is lobbying?

Answer 10

Trying to persuade government ministers or individual MPs to support a cause - often carried out by members of pressure groups on behalf of a campaign

Question 11

What does lobbying include?

Answer 11

Individual meetings
Writing messages
Producing surveys/petitions to show wide support

Question 12

2 Advantages of lobbying

Answer 12

If successful, action maybe be taken by government
Pressure groups may be more successful due to greater expertise and influence

Question 13

2 Disadvantages of lobbying

Answer 13

Government may be unwilling to deal with all requests
Even lobbying by pressure groups maybe be unsuccessful with a delayed response

Question 14

What is the media?

Answer 14

The ways in which information is supplied to the public, including television, magazines and internet sources

Question 15

How can media influence public opinion?

Answer 15

Members of public can make their views known by contacting media sources

Government regularly monitors social media to judge public opinion

Government uses focus groups to gauge opinion and their overall popularity

Question 16

2 Advantages of the media

Answer 16

Government may have a greater willingness to act on a media campaign if they see its popular

Public can use the media to raise concern over issues and individual incidents

Question 17

2 Disadvantages of the media

Answer 17

No regulation of the expression of views on social media

No guarantee that the government will act on it

Question 18

What is the law commission?

Answer 18

A full time body set up by the Law Commission Act 1965

Question 19

What does the law commission consist of?

Answer 19

A chairperson
A high court judge
4 other Law Commissioner who are experts in certain areas of law

Question 20

What are the roles of the law commission?

Answer 20

To reviews all areas of law

Where possible, codify or consolidate areas of law

Repeat old/unnecessary law

Where possible, simplify and modernise law

Question 21

What are the three methods of reforming the law?

Answer 21

Repeal of existing law

Consolidation

Codification

Question 22

What is repeal of existing law?

Answer 22

Investigates which statues are still required

Repeals Bill for parliament to consider for these that are unnecessary and irrelevant

Question 23

What is consolidation?

Answer 23

The Law Commission produces about five Consolidation Bills each year

Not always successful

Question 24

What is codification?

Answer 24

Involves bringing together all the law
Intention to make the law more understandable, consistent and easier to understand

Question 25

2 Advantages of the Law Commission

Answer 25

Politically independent and has the aim of improving law

Becomes easier for lawyers and public to understand apply if parliament accepts recommendation to codify an area

Question 26

2 Disadvantages of Law Commission

Answer 26

Parliament tends to concentrate on debating matter on broad policy

Not bound to accept Law Commission reports