Primary and Secondary Legislation Flashcards
What is primary legislation?
A. Rules made by local authorities
B. Laws made by courts
C. Acts of Parliament
D. Government policies
C – Acts of Parliament are primary legislation, which are debated and passed by Parliament before receiving Royal Assent.
Which of the following is an example of secondary legislation?
A. A statutory instrument
B. A new Act of Parliament
C. A Green Paper
D. A Private Members’ Bill
A – Statutory Instruments (SIs) are a form of secondary legislation created under the authority of a parent Act of Parliament.
What is the final step for a Bill to become an Act of Parliament?
A. Third reading
B. Royal Assent
C. Committee stage
D. Report stage
B – Royal Assent is the final step where the monarch formally approves the Bill, making it law.
What is the main purpose of secondary legislation?
A. To change an Act of Parliament
B. To repeal outdated laws
C. To introduce new laws without Parliament
D. To provide additional details for primary legislation
D – Secondary legislation is used to add practical details to primary legislation, ensuring it can be effectively implemented.
Which type of Bill must start in the House of Commons?
A. A Private Members’ Bill
B. A Money Bill
C. A Public Bill
D. A Government Bill
B – Money Bills, which deal with taxation or public spending, must begin in the House of Commons and cannot be rejected by the House of Lords.
A government department needs to create rules on food safety under an existing Food Act. What type of legislation should be used?
A. Private Act
B. Statutory Instrument
C. By-law
D. Green Paper
B – A Statutory Instrument is a form of secondary legislation used by government departments to implement details of a parent Act.
A local council wants to introduce fines for littering in public parks. What type of legislation would be appropriate?
A. Public Act
B. Private Act
C. By-law
D. Statutory Instrument
C – By-laws are made by local authorities to regulate specific local issues, such as littering in public parks.
Parliament passes an Act allowing the government to set pollution limits through regulations. A new regulation sets unreasonable limits, harming businesses. What can businesses do?
A. Challenge the regulation in court
B. Request a Private Act
C. Ask the monarch to repeal the regulation
D. Introduce a Private Members’ Bill
A – Courts can review secondary legislation and quash it if it exceeds the authority granted by the parent Act.
A Bill has passed the House of Commons and is now being debated in the House of Lords. What happens if the Lords reject it?
A. The Bill is automatically cancelled
B. The Commons can override the Lords’ decision
C. The Bill is sent for Royal Assent anyway
D. The monarch decides whether to pass the Bill
B – Under the Parliament Acts, the House of Commons can override the House of Lords in certain situations.
A government department creates a Statutory Instrument that contradicts its parent Act. What can the courts do?
A. Repeal the parent Act
B. Amend the Statutory Instrument
C. Declare the Statutory Instrument invalid
D. Allow Parliament to vote on it again
C – Courts can quash secondary legislation if it goes beyond the powers granted by the parent Act.
