Parliamentary Law Making

Question 1

What does the parliament consist of?

Answer 1

• The House Of Commons

- The House Of Lords

Question 2

What are the qualities of the house of commons?

Answer 2

• Members of parliament
• Elected by public
• Divided into constituencies
• General election every 5 years

Question 3

What are the qualities of house of lords?

Answer 3

• Non elected body
• Originally dominated by Hereditary Peers
• 92 Hereditary Peers, 26 Senior Bishops, 640 Life Peers

Question 4

What is a hereditary peer?

Answer 4

• When the peerage has been passed down from a parent to their child.

Question 5

How do political influences influence the parliament?

Answer 5

• Political influence sets out the party manifestio which sets out the reforms it intends to carry out.
• Public vote the manifestio in the General Election.

Question 6

How does the public opinion and media influence the parliament?

Answer 6

• Strong public opinion influences a change in law and government will listen as they want electorate vote.
• Media can bring matters to public attention quickly and effectively.

Question 7

How do pressure groups influence the parliament?

Answer 7

• Sectional represents a particular section of the society.

- Case promotes a particular cause.

Question 8

What is lobbying?

Answer 8

• Pressure groups may persuade an individual member of parliament to support their cause.
• Member of parliament will ask question in house of commons to get publicity.

Question 9

What are the advantages of political influences?

Answer 9

• Majority of electorate will have voted the government into power therefore electorate have voted who they wanted.

Question 10

What are the disadvantages of political influences?

Answer 10

• New governments are not bound by previous laws therefore they can be repealed which will be costly.

Question 11

What are the advantages of public and media influences?

Answer 11

• Public opinion is influenced by a specific event such as The Dunblane Massacre.
• Social media allows issues to be bought to public attention immediately.

Question 12

What are the disadvantages of public and media influences?

Answer 12

• Government may respond too quickly as a result of a knee jerk reaction and therefore poorly draft a new law such as Dangerous Dogs Act.
• Media can manipulate the public opinion such as the ‘Name and Shame Campaign’.

Question 13

Advantages of pressure groups and lobbyists?

Answer 13

• Pressure groups are powerful and raise important issues.
• Lobbysits are able to bring issues to attention of Members of Parliament which could lead to a debate in the parliament and publicity of the cause.

Question 14

Disadvantages of pressure groups and lobbyists?

Answer 14

• Pressure groups may only be interested in furthering their own cause therefore may be biased.
• Professional lobbyists may abuse the system and suggests that ordinary individuals have no power.

Question 15

What is the pre-legislative process?

Answer 15

• Green paper states government’s view and proposals for reformation of law.
• White paper has firm proposals for the new law.

Question 16

How can bills be introduced?

Answer 16

• Ballot is during each parliamentary session a bill can be presented to the parliament by 20 private members.
• Ten minute rule of back benchers under the rule that any member of the parliament can make a speech for up to ten minutes.

Question 17

What are the three types of bill?

Answer 17

• Public bill which focuses on public matters.
• Private bill only focuses on individuals.
• Hybrid bills are introduced by the government but only affect particular person or group.

Question 18

How can bills be sponsored?

Answer 18

• By individual Members of the Parliament which are viewed as back benchers.

Question 19

What are the stages of the legislative process?

Answer 19

• The first reading.
• The second reading.
• The committee stage.
• The report stage.
• The third reading.
• Opposing house.
• Royal assent.

Question 20

What is the first reading?

Answer 20

• Formal procedure.
• Name and aims of Bill read out.
• No discussion.
• Vote taken.

Question 21

What is the second reading?

Answer 21

• Debate main principles of the Bill.

- Vote taken.

Question 22

What is the committee stage?

Answer 22

• Detailed examination of each clause.
• Standing committee.
• Opposition and minority parties represented proportionally but government will take majority.

Question 23

What is the report stage?

Answer 23

• Amendments made.
• Amendments reported to the House.
• Stage ensures committee can’t amend the Bill.

Question 24

What is the third reading?

Answer 24

• Final vote.

Question 25

What is the opposing house stage?

Answer 25

• Goes through the same 5 stages.

Question 26

What is the royal assent stage?

Answer 26

• Monarch gives approval.
• Becomes a formality.
• Act comes into force at midnight therefore it is officially a law the next day.

Question 27

What are the advantages of the legislative process?

Answer 27

• Democratic as law is made by the elected representative which the electorate chose.
• Full reform as whole areas in one act can be reformed.
• Broad policy and detailed rules set by the parliament allowing experts to add detail.
• Consultation and taking into consideration the subjects of the Bill.

Question 28

What are the disadvantages of the legislative process?

Answer 28

• Lack of time to consider all the proposals to law reformation.
• Long process as stages can take several months.
• Government control therefore own agenda prioritized and important issues can be missed as lack of time.
• Complexity makes the acts difficult to understand.