parliamentary law making- law making Flashcards
legislation
. laws made by parliament
. also called statutes or Acts of Parliament
Green and White papers
. consultation papers
Bill
. draft version of Act of Parliament
Legislative Process
. the stages the bill goes through in order to become law
Devolution
. when Westminster (our main parliament), gives power to other parliaments to make law
Green paper
. introduced if government is unsure about law
. consultation document, issued by gov department with responsibility for issue- eg. education minister issue green paper on school matters
. interested parties invited to send comments to department
. changed can be made
White paper
. document containing gov’s firm proposals for new law- takes views into account
. can issue without green paper if gov has firm ideas on law already
Green paper example
. 2017- gov publish GP for transforming children and young people’: mental health through NHS
Public Bills
. most frequent type of hill
. matters of public policy that will affect whole country or most of it
. eg- Constitutional Reform Act 2005, Equality Act 2010
. can affect one or more of devolved countries
. private member’s bill can be public bill but rare
Private Bills
. only affect a corporation or individual, not whole country
. eg- University College London Act 1996, British Railways Act 1969
Private Member’a Bill
. introduced and sponsored by individual MP
. ballot- parliamentary process- 20 private members are selected to take turns in presenting a Bill to Parliament and debated
. limited time so on first 6/7 can be introduced on their chosen topic
. few become law
. eg- Abortion Act 1967- ballot, Bail (Amendment) Act 1993- 10 minute rule
. can be introduced by Lord- rare
Legislative process
. start in either house
. first reading
. second reading
. committee stage
. report stage
. third reading
. opposite house
. royal assent
first reading
. formal procedure
. read out name and main aims of bill
. usually no discussion or vote
second reading
. main debate of bill
. focus on main principles
. Commons- speaker allows MPs to speak, vote at end, need majority to continue bill
. Lords- gov minister explains bill and answers questions, debate, vote, needs majority to continue
committee stage
. detailed scrutiny of bill- look at each clause and line
. Commons- committee of 16-50 MPs form a Standing Committee to examine bill
- have special interest or subject knowledge
- finance bills= whole house sit in committee
- suggest amendments, voted on by committee
. Lords- sit as whole house
- amended, agreed and voted on
. no time limit for discussion