Parliamentary Law Making (PLM)

Question 1

Parliamentary Supremacy

Answer 1

P can make/abolish laws, overrule laws, change their own laws BECAUSE they are democratically elected and representative of society

Question 2

Parliament is made up of:

Answer 2

House of Commons
House of Law
The monarch

Question 3

Who can make law?

Answer 3

Parliament - statutes
Judges - common law (precedent)
Public bodies e.g. local councils

Question 4

House of Commons

Answer 4

650 elected MPs
usually represent a political party or an individual candidate

Question 5

House of Lords

Answer 5

800 peers
including hereditary and life peers, and 26 senior bishops

Question 6

5 main influences on P

Answer 6

political influences
public opinion/media
pressure groups
lobbyists
law commission

Question 7

Political influences

Answer 7

manifestos published by political parties
these set out political ideas/aims
once voted into government, they put these plans into action and can make them law

Question 8

Public opinion/Media

Answer 8

if there are strong opinions from the public on issues, laws may be created by government to deal with it (not always good decisions as they are rushed)
e.g. Dangerous Dogs Act 1991
these opinions often stem from the media

Question 9

Pressure groups

Answer 9

groups bring specific matters to people’s attention
2 types: sectional and cause
sectional: represent a section in society and their interests e.g. law society represents lawyer’s interests
cause: focus more on specific causes than groups of people e.g. league of cruel sports - against fox hunting (Hunting Act 2004 banned this)

Question 10

Lobbyists

Answer 10

try to get individual MPs to support their causes

Question 11

Law Commission

Answer 11

independent group of legal experts who identify problems within the law, conduct research into how to fix the problems, and then propose these ideas to P e.g. Consumer Rights Act 2015

Question 12

Types of Bills

Answer 12

Private Members’ Bills
Public Bills
Private Bills

Question 13

Private Members’ Bills

Answer 13

usually introduced by individual MPs - often called ‘backbenchers’
e.g. Abortion Act 1967

Question 14

Public Bills

Answer 14

laws on important public matter that affect the whole country (usually introduced by the Government)
e.g. Legal Aid

Question 15

Private Bills

Answer 15

laws that only apply to a private individual or legal entity
e.g. The Faversham Oyster Company Bill 2016

Question 16

Legislative Process

Answer 16

1) Green paper
2) White Paper
(HoC)
3) First Reading
4) Second Reading
5) Committee Stage
6) Report Stage
7) Third Reading
(House of Lords)
(Monarch)

Question 17

Green Paper - First Stage

Answer 17

Consultation page - sets out general aims of the Bill and invites responses

Question 18

White Paper - Second Stage

Answer 18

firm proposal for a law based on the green paper consultation

Question 19

First Reading in HoC - Third Stage

Answer 19

formality - title of Bill is read to the House

Question 20

Second Reading in HoC - Fourth Stage

Answer 20

purpose of Bill is explained by minister + debate is held on the Bill
vote is then held on the Bill

Question 21

Committee Stage in HoC - Fifth Stage

Answer 21

between 16 to 50 MPs examine each clause of the Bill and think of any potential problems that could be caused

Question 22

Report Stage in the HoC - Sixth Stage

Answer 22

committee reports back to the House with any suggested amendments
these amendments are accepted or rejected after a debate

Question 23

Third Reading in HoC - Seventh Stage

Answer 23

final vote on the Bill after each amendment has been accepted or rejected

Question 24

House of Lords - Eighth Stage

Answer 24

All steps are repeated in the HoL - the whole House is the committee
If the HoL changes anything, the Bill goes back to the HoC and repeats - this is called Pingponging

Question 25

Monarch

Answer 25

The King must give royal assent to a Bill to make it Law
the King can only see the short title and doesn’t need to even sign it