Parliamentary Law Making
- Created by: Riles
- Created on: 16-09-20 14:28
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- Chapter 16 - Parliamentary Law Making
- Parliament
- House of Commons
- Consists of approximately 650 MPs elected by the eletorate
- House of Lords
- Approximately 785 Hereditary peers, life peers, judges and bishops are appointed
- House of Commons
- Influences on Parliament
- Political
- Each party has a manifesto with drafts if it is elected
- A government majority means most of these laws will be passed
- New governments may alter laws made by the previous one
- Public opinion/media
- The will of the public
- Highlights issues of social concern
- Responding too quickly results in poorly drafted laws
- Pressure groups
- Groups with particular interests can bring them to the attention of the public and law makers
- Raise important issues
- Try to impose their will on the majority
- Different pressure groups have conflicting interests
- Lobbyists
- Anyone can lobby their MP
- Big businesses hire professional lobbyists - 'cash for questions'
- Political
- Pre-legislative process
- Green Paper
- Proposal for a new law that is brought to the attention of interested parties
- White Paper
- Similar to a green paper but with limited opportunity for comment on the proposals
- Draft Bill
- Proposed bill presented to parliament for discussion
- Green Paper
- Types of Bill
- Public general bills
- Involving the government's programme
- Dealing with issues set out in their manifesto
- e.g. Criminal Justice Act 2003
- Private bills
- Applying only to a particular body or local authority
- e.g. University College London Act 1996
- Private member's bills
- Introduced by any MP or Lord on general issues of concern
- e.g. Abortion Act 1967
- Public general bills
- The legislative process
- First Reading
- Formal introduction with title and main aims
- Second Reading
- Main debate on bill. Needs a majority vote to continue
- Committee Stage
- A specially chosen committee examines the bill in depth and makes amendments
- Report Stage
- Amended bill is passed back to parliament for consideration
- Third Reading
- Final debate and vote. No amendments at this stage
- Consideration of Amendments
- Repeat the process in the other house
- Parliament Acts 1911 and 1949 give Commons the power to go over Lords if they block twice
- Royal Assent
- The Monarch's 'signature'
- Formality
- Royal Assent Act 1967 - The Monarch is only given the short title
- First Reading
- Evaluation
- Advantage
- Democratic - made by elected MPs
- Full reform - easier to reform whole areas of law
- Broad Policy - delegated legislation
- Consultation - Green Paper
- Disadvantage
- Lack of time - Some laws are still awaiting reform
- Long process - It can take months for all the stages to be completed in Lords and Commons
- Government control - less private bills
- Complexity - Statutes are difficult to understand, causing the wrong interpretation
- Advantage
- Parliament
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