Legislation

Question 1

Legislative Process

Answer 1

green paper
white paper
first reading
second reading
committee stage
report stage
third reading
hoc - same procedures
hol
royal assent

Question 2

First Reading

Answer 2

Name and Purpose of Bill is read out

Question 3

Second Reading

Answer 3

Main debate then vote

Question 4

Committee stage

Answer 4

Detailed examination
between 16-50 MP’s with expert knowledge of the subject of the bill
suggests amendments

Question 5

Report Stage

Answer 5

committee report back
Any amendments suggested must be approved
if no amendments, this stage is skipped

Question 6

Third Reading

Answer 6

final debate and vote on bill
almost a formality

Question 7

house of lords

Answer 7

Bill goes through the same 5 stages
they can suggest amendments
HoC can choose pass a bill even if HoL reject it
(power comes from the parliament act 1911 and 1949)
- if rejected the bill is delayed for a year
HoL rejected the hunting act 2004

Question 8

Royal Assent

Answer 8

Monarch formally approved the bill and it becomes an act of parliament
A formality

Question 9

Parliament

Answer 9

made of HoC, HoL and the monarch
pass legislation as well as change them
law passed by parliament is known as statute law

Question 10

House of Commons (details)

Answer 10

made up of MP’s (elected by public)
the country is divided into 650 constituencies (areas)
each constituency votes for one MP
the party with majority MPs forms the government (326)
Prime Minister selects a number of Senior MPs to form the cabinet
the party with 2nd most MPs forms the official opposition and has its own shadow cabinet

Question 11

House of Lords (details)

Answer 11

unelected
approx 640 life peers
(nominated by prime minister for expertise)
92 hereditary peers- inherited title
used to be the highest court in the uk (now the supreme court)
-changed in october 2009

Question 12

The Monarch (details)

Answer 12

now only has a formal role (no real law making power)
gives the royal assent to laws passed by parliament (always will)

Question 13

Finance Bill

Answer 13

has to start in HoC

Question 14

Types of Bills

Answer 14

Public bills
Private bills
Private Members’ bills

Question 15

Public Bills

Answer 15

most common
ideas proposed by the gov
the law will apply to everyone
around 60-80 passed each year
eg-
equality act 2010

Question 16

Private bills

Answer 16

proposed by gov
only apply to certain groups, organisations or businesses
eg-
british railways act 1969

Question 17

private members’ bills

Answer 17

proposed by an individual backbench mp (any mp who is not in the cabinet)
chosen by ballot
10 chosen a year
usually effect the whole county
eg-
Abortion Act 1967
Marriage Act 1994