Parliamentary Law Making

Question 1

How many members are in the HoL and HoC?

Answer 1

HoC -> 650, fixed
HoL -> 800, not fixed

Question 2

How often is the HoC reelected?

Answer 2

Every 5 years

Question 3

T or F:
The HoL has life peers.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

What are pressure groups?

Answer 4

They campaign for legal change.
Eg. Greenpeace

Question 5

What does King’s speech do?

Answer 5

Written by the gov., outlines the bill.

Question 6

How does the media influence law making?

Answer 6

Influences the public who vote
Eg. Sarah’s Law

Question 7

What is lobbying?

Answer 7

When someone wants to influence an MP.

Question 8

What does a manifesto do?

Answer 8

Explains the ideology of a political party.

Question 9

What is public opinion in the context ?

Answer 9

What most people believe is right (voters).
Eg. Pension policy

Question 10

What are 3 types of bills?

Answer 10

Public bills
Private bills
Private members bills

Question 11

What is a Public Bill?

Answer 11

Affects all of or most of the country.

Question 12

What is a Private Bill?

Answer 12

Only affects individual people or corporations.

Question 13

What is a Private Members Bill?

Answer 13

Where an MP introduces a bill known as backbenchers.

Question 14

What are the 2 ways a private members bill can be introduced?

Answer 14

Ballot - put in s box, 20 are chosen
10 minutes rule - has 10 mins speech

Question 15

What orders does a bill go to be created?

Answer 15

Green Winged Dragons Fly Slowly Clockwise Round The Old Ruin.
- Green paper, White Paper, Draft, First reading, Second Reading, Committee stage, Report stage, Third reading, Other house (HoL), Royal assent.

Question 16

Describe each of the stages.
(G, W, D, F, S, C, R, T, O, R)

Answer 16

Green paper - a proposition on green paper.
White paper - explains the gov. proposal for the law.
Draft bill
1st reading - title read in HoC.
2nd reading - debating stage, can be voted out.
Committee stage - aller group of MP’s work at details, make amendments.
Report stage - amendments are reported, MP’s can vote on them.
3rd reading - final votes
Other house - bill goes to HoL, same stages happen.
Royal assent - King signs off on bill, can’t say no.

Question 17

At what time does an Act of Parliament come into force?

Answer 17

Normally midnight unless specifically stated otherwise.