Parliamentary Law Making

Democratic

Scrutiny

Government control

House of Lords

Flexibility

• The House of Commons are elected and there are limits on House of Lords which provides more opportunities for public opinion.
• Very thorough process involving debate scrutiny and amendments
• Likely to win at each voting stage - demographic since elected by majority. Minister's knowledge of bill and expertise of the civil service
• Acts a check on the House of Commons - more scrutiny of bill of high quality
• Not only government bills but also Lords and private members bill. Can be used to introduce controversial bills and urgently needed law.

Undemocratic

Inadequate scrutiny

Government control

Slow process

Dated processes and language

• Neither the House of Lords or the Queen so shouldn't have powers that are able to delay the House of Commons
• The government control the timetable e.g. use of guillotine - leads to bad law Dangerous Dogs Act 1991
• The timetable means less private members are likely to succeed. not enough time to change old laws
• They have to go through many readings so can take months meaning that not all legislation is passed. Royal Assent is a pointless stage and just adds to the time.
• Language can be obscure and ambiguous requiring statutory interpretation.

• FIRST READING
• SECOND READING
• COMMITTEE STAGE
• REPORT STAGE
• THIRD READING
• HOUSE OF LORDS
• 'PING PONG'
• ROYAL ASSENT

• Short title of bill is read out in the Commons by the Clerk
• MP's debate and vote on the main principles and purpose
• Detailed examination takes place. Goes to either Public Bill Committee or Committee of the whole House
• Consider amendments which where made during the committee stage
• The final review
• Repetition of stages but at House of Lords
• Passed backwards and forwards between two Houses till final text is agreed on
• The Queen gives agreement for the bill to be passed

Public

• Government Bills
• Private Members Bills

Private

Affect the public

• majority of bills e.g. Anti-Terrorism Crime and Security Act 2001.Usually included in the Queen's Speech .e.g. Climate Change Bill
• introduced into Parliament by individual MP's e.g. David Alton's Abortion Act 1998. very few became acts as the government control the timetable. One which has become an Act Murder [Abolition of Death Penalty] Act 1965

A piece of legislation that gives powers to a particular group of persons i.e. local councils or private corporation. Don't effect public as whole e.g. University College London Act 1996. sometimes only affect one or two people