Parliamentary Law Making

Question 1

What are some influences on Parliamentary law making (state the AO2)

Answer 1

• The governments’s program; the manifesto;King’s speech
• EU law (ie the Consumer Protection Act 1987)
• Events and media (ie Dunblane)
• Pressure groups and public opinion ( ie Disability Discrimination Act 1993)
• Commissions, enquires, law refrom (ie Police and Criminal Evidence Act PACE 1984; regulated policing after commission)

Question 2

What is a green paper?

Answer 2

• a consultive document with proposals for reform by the government but inviting parties to comment

Question 3

What is a white paper?

Answer 3

• the governments firm proposals for new law ( official document sent to Parliament, proposals from green paper transferred.

Question 4

What is a public bill?

Answer 4

• matters of a public policy affecting the whole country or much of it; majority of government bills

Question 5

What is a private bill?

Answer 5

• matters only affecting individual people or corporations (ie UCL Act 1996 were funding was taken away)

Question 6

What is a private member’s bill?

Answer 6

• sponsored by an individual MP; debate is limited

Question 7

Define the 10 minute rule bill.

Answer 7

-MPs make a speech for 10 minutes to introduce new legislation

Question 8

Define the House of Commons.

Answer 8

• the most powerful out of the two houses, 650 elected representatives.
• decides new law and tax; party with the most MPs run government

Question 9

Define the House Lords

Answer 9

• second chamber of Parliament
• 735 unelected representatives
• main role is to double check new proposed laws (ie Bills)
• cannot refuse a proposed law as powers are limited by the Parliamentary Act of 1911and 1949; can only delay for one year.