Parliamentary law making- LAW MAKING (2) Flashcards
what are the 3 main bodies that make up our law making process?
- house of commons
- house of lords
moncarch
What is the house of commons
Made up of 650 Mps who are elected by the pubic.
Must be a general election every 5 years. Each Mp represents a local area.
what is the house of lords
made up of life peers, hereditary peers and senior bishops of the church of england.
They bring expertise to the house and law making process.
What is the monarch
This is the king. The monarchs signature is needed on a bill before it can become law.
What are the 3 types of bills
- public bill
- private bill
- private members bill
what is a bill
a proposed act of parliment
What is a public bill and who is it created by?
involves matters of public policy that will affect the whole or large proportion of the country.
Created by the government
What is the example of a public bill?
The police and criminal evidence act 1984.
What is a private bill and who is it created by?
Only affects individuals or corporations. they are promoted by organisations like local authorities or private companies.
what is the example of a private bill?
the faversham oyster fishery company act 2017.
What is a private members bill and who is it created by?
to change or make laws that apply to the general population.
It is a type of public bill, its just how its brought in.
Only members of the House of commons can bring them in (MPs)
what is the example of a private members bill?
the abortion act 1967
what is the pneumonic to remember the parliamentary law making process.
green winged dragons fly slowly clockwise round the old ruin
1- Green paper
contains general proposals
2- White paper
detailed proposals are set out after initial consultations
what is the consultation stage
Green and white paper
3- draft bill
proposals for new law.
drafted by govt lawyers into a formal draft bill
what is a bill
a proposed act of parliment
4- first reading
Just a formality
name of bill is read out
date is set for second reading
5- second reading
the main debate on the principles of the bill. at the end of discussion a vote is taken to decide if it should progress to the next stage.
6- committee stage
Between 12 and 50 Mps examine the bill and suggest changes.
Committee have knowledge of bill.
7- report stage
Committee reports these amendment back to the hosue of commons
house of commons then vote if they should stay or go
8- third reading
final vote takes places in the house it started in
9- other house
goes through the other house to suggest changes and amendments
what is ping ponging
when the bill bounces back and forth between both houses on the amendments and both houses agreeing.
This happens in the other house reading stage.
What are the 2 acts of parliament that help to solve disagreements between the commons and lords
The parliament act 1911
The parliament act 1949
10- royal assent
monarch gives approval
after this it can become an act of parliament
when can the act commence
midnight that day or specific date in the future.
what are the advanatges of the process
- upholds the rule of law principle
- process is intensely scrutinised
- conducted by those democratically elected
- allows for consultation
what are the disadvantages of the process
- complex and lack clarity
- time consuming
- confusing for the public
- law making process is undemocratic (lords are not elected)
