Legislative Process Flashcards
What are the 3 separation of powers?
- The executive government (power to put law into action)
- Parliament (power to make and change the laws)
- Judiciary (power to make judgements on the law)
What is Parliamentary Sovereignty?
- Parliament is the supreme legal authority in the UK
- Parliament can create or change or end any law
What is the house of commons?
- Representatives are elected
What is the house of lords?
- Not elected by the public
- Members are selected based off expertise or serving in certain roles
- A majority is appointed by the monarch on the advice of the Prime Minister
What is a Bill?
- A proposal to change an existing law
What are the different types of bill?
- Public bills
- Private members bills
- Private bills
- Hybrid bills
Who can introduce a bill?
- Government
- Individual MPs or Lords
- Private individuals or organizations
What is the Ballot rule?
- Every year, a lottery (or ballot) is held, and a few MPs are randomly chosen to present their bill
What is the ten minute rule?
- an MP is given 10 minutes to explain why they think their idea for a law is a good one if someone opposes they also get 10 minute
What does presentation mean in regards to Private members bill?
- A process where they get a chance to bring up their idea for a new law without giving a big speech about it
What is the King’s speech?
- sets out government policy and legislative agenda for the new parliamentary session.
- Took place on July 17 2024
What are the two types of command papers?
- Green
- White
What are green command papers?
- Early stage docs
- Outline ideas or options for new laws or policies.
- The government is asking for feedback from the public
- Consultation documents produced by the government
For ex. “Heres what we’re thinking, what do you think?”
What are white command papers?
- More advanced
- After considering feedback, the government puts together a White Paper, which is a more detailed plan for the new law or policy.
- It’s almost ready to be turned into a law
- Policy documents produced by the government that set out their proposals for future legislation
For ex. “This is what we plan to do.”
What does ‘Ping-Pong” mean?
- Refers to the back and forth of amendments to Bills between the House of Commons and the House of Lords.
What are the parliament acts?
- The Parliament Acts have provided the House of Commons with an advantage.
- The elected House can overrule or bypass the House of Lords via the Parliament Act procedure.
What are the 2 Parliament Acts?
- Parliament Act 1911
- Parliament Act 1949 (amending the Parliament Act 1911)
What are the 7 bills that have become acts under the parliament act procedure?
- Government of Ireland Act 1914
- Welsh Church Act 1914
- Parliament Act 1949
- War Crimes ACr 1991
- European Parliament Elections Act 1999
- Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 2000
- Hunting Act 2004
What is Primary legislation?
- Main type of law created by parliament
- Acts of parliament
What is Secondary Legislation?
- aka delegated or subordinate legislation/ statutory instruments/ regulations
- Government uses secondary legislation to make small changes or fill in the details of a law without having to pass a whole new law through parliament
- A faster way to adjust laws when needed
- Usually have ‘rule, regulation, or order’ in their title
