Parliamentary Law Making - Paper 2

Question 1

What are the three institutions of Parliament?

Answer 1

House of Commons, House of Lords, and the Monarch

Question 2

Describe the composition of the House of Commons

Answer 2

Consists of MPs elected at a general election. The political party with the most seats in the Commons forms the government

Question 3

Describe the composition of the House of Lords

Answer 3

It is a non-elected body made up of life peers, hereditary peers, and senior bishops

Question 4

Which Acts of Parliament made the House of Lords less powerful than the House of Commons?

Answer 4

The Parliament Acts of 1911 and 1949

Question 5

Name the current Monarch and their function in the parliamentary process

Answer 5

King Charles III, and gives Royal Assent to a Bill

Question 6

What are the two types of Bill?

Answer 6

Public Bills and Private Members Bills

Question 7

What is the difference between public bills and private members bills?

Answer 7

Public Bills are introduced by the government and involve matters of public policy, whereas Private Members Bills are introduced by individual MPs

Question 8

What is Dicey’s definition of parliamentary supremacy?

Answer 8

Parliament can legislate on any subject matter with no limits

No Parliament can be bound by any previous Parliament pass an Act which will bind a successor

No other body has the right to override or set aside an Act of Parliament

Question 9

What are the three limitations on parliamentary supremacy?

Answer 9

The effect of the Human Rights Act 1998, Devolution, EU Membership

Question 10

What is a Green Paper?

Answer 10

An idea for a new law, a consultation document

Question 11

What is a White Paper?

Answer 11

A firm proposal for a new law

Question 12

Explain what happens during the First Reading?

Answer 12

Minister gives information about the Bill, including its name and main aims

Question 13

Explain what happens during the Second Reading?

Answer 13

Main debate about the main principles of the Bill, not the smaller details. There is a vote on whether the Bill should proceed to the next stage

Question 14

Explain what happens during the Committee Stage?

Answer 14

Detailed examination of the Bill by a committee of between 15-60 MPs. Every line of the Bill is examined and amendments can be made

Question 15

Describe what happens during the Report Stage?

Answer 15

Committee reports back any amendments to the House. If there are no amendments, there is no report stage

Question 16

Explain what happens during the Third Reading?

Answer 16

Final vote on the Bill, normally a formality as its unlikely to fail at this stage

Question 17

What happens when a Bill is sent to the Other House?

Answer 17

Bill goes through the same five stages it did in the other House. Possible ‘ping pong’ effect if changes are made

Question 18

What is meant by Royal Assent?

Answer 18

Monarch formally gives approval to the Bill and it becomes an Act of Parliament