Constitutional Reforms and Changes since 1997.

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How has recent reforms impacted the HoL?
1999 House of Lords Act removed all but 92 hereditary peers making it predominantly appointed.
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How has recent reforms impacted the HoC?
House of Commons Reform Committee 2009 recommended a number of significant procedural changes in the document entitled 'Rebuilding the House'. Suggested changes to Select Committee chairs, petitions and how ministers+chairs are appointed.
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How has recent reforms impacted the judiciary?
The Constitutional Reform Act 2005 established the Supreme Court in 2009. Also reformed the role of Lord Chancellor to Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs (now Secretary of State for Justice). It divided the job into 3 separate positions.
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How did the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 appoint judges?
Introduced Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) which introduced new process for selecting judges.
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What electoral reform has there been since 1997?
Fixed Term Parliament Act 2011 - set the date for the General Election every first Thursday in May every 5 years. Puts limits on purgative powers that Parliament could be dissolved. Political Parties,Elections+Ref Act 2000-limits donations to parties
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How has the use of direct democracy grown since 1997?
Localism Act 2011 encourages citizens to initiate local refs on any local issues if they collect signatures from 5% of the local electorate. Recall of MPs Act 2015 allows a recall election to be held if an MP is convicted of an offence. Needs 10%.
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What is english votes for english laws?
When new rules give English, or English and Welsh MP's, two opportunities to veto all, or particular clauses, of bills that only affect England, or England+Wales.
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How has the EU's impact on the UK constitution changed since 1997?
Amsterdam Treaty 1997, Nice Treaty 2001 and Lisbon Treaty 2009 all transferred additional powers allowing the EU to make laws in more policy areas. This reduced the UK's veto power, by replacing unanimous voting with qualified majority voting.
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What is the European Convention on Human Rights?
International treaty requiring all states that sign up to protect fundamental HR. Adopted in 1950. ECHR introduced to ensure that all states that signed the treaty actually uphold these rights.
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What did the HRA 1998 do?
Makes sure citizens are protected. Judiciary can 'declare incompatibility' if a law goes against the HRA. This does not strike down the law due to parliamentary sovereignty (they amend the incompatibility).
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What is the Freedom of Information Act 2000?
Establishes a general right to access recorded information held by more than 100,000 public bodies in England, Wales+NI. To protect sensitive info the act does list 24 exemptions (9 are absolute, 15 are qualified meaning 'public interest balance')
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Card 2

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How has recent reforms impacted the HoC?

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House of Commons Reform Committee 2009 recommended a number of significant procedural changes in the document entitled 'Rebuilding the House'. Suggested changes to Select Committee chairs, petitions and how ministers+chairs are appointed.

Card 3

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How has recent reforms impacted the judiciary?

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

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How did the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 appoint judges?

Back

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Card 5

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What electoral reform has there been since 1997?

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