Parliamentary Law Making Flashcards Preview

A Level/AS Law > Parliamentary Law Making > Flashcards

Flashcards in Parliamentary Law Making Deck (28)
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1
Q

What does the parliament consist of?

A
  • The House Of Commons

- The House Of Lords

2
Q

What are the qualities of the house of commons?

A
  • Members of parliament
  • Elected by public
  • Divided into constituencies
  • General election every 5 years
3
Q

What are the qualities of house of lords?

A
  • Non elected body
  • Originally dominated by Hereditary Peers
  • 92 Hereditary Peers, 26 Senior Bishops, 640 Life Peers
4
Q

What is a hereditary peer?

A
  • When the peerage has been passed down from a parent to their child.
5
Q

How do political influences influence the parliament?

A
  • Political influence sets out the party manifestio which sets out the reforms it intends to carry out.
  • Public vote the manifestio in the General Election.
6
Q

How does the public opinion and media influence the parliament?

A
  • Strong public opinion influences a change in law and government will listen as they want electorate vote.
  • Media can bring matters to public attention quickly and effectively.
7
Q

How do pressure groups influence the parliament?

A
  • Sectional represents a particular section of the society.

- Case promotes a particular cause.

8
Q

What is lobbying?

A
  • Pressure groups may persuade an individual member of parliament to support their cause.
  • Member of parliament will ask question in house of commons to get publicity.
9
Q

What are the advantages of political influences?

A
  • Majority of electorate will have voted the government into power therefore electorate have voted who they wanted.
10
Q

What are the disadvantages of political influences?

A
  • New governments are not bound by previous laws therefore they can be repealed which will be costly.
11
Q

What are the advantages of public and media influences?

A
  • Public opinion is influenced by a specific event such as The Dunblane Massacre.
  • Social media allows issues to be bought to public attention immediately.
12
Q

What are the disadvantages of public and media influences?

A
  • Government may respond too quickly as a result of a knee jerk reaction and therefore poorly draft a new law such as Dangerous Dogs Act.
  • Media can manipulate the public opinion such as the ‘Name and Shame Campaign’.
13
Q

Advantages of pressure groups and lobbyists?

A
  • Pressure groups are powerful and raise important issues.
  • Lobbysits are able to bring issues to attention of Members of Parliament which could lead to a debate in the parliament and publicity of the cause.
14
Q

Disadvantages of pressure groups and lobbyists?

A
  • Pressure groups may only be interested in furthering their own cause therefore may be biased.
  • Professional lobbyists may abuse the system and suggests that ordinary individuals have no power.
15
Q

What is the pre-legislative process?

A
  • Green paper states government’s view and proposals for reformation of law.
  • White paper has firm proposals for the new law.
16
Q

How can bills be introduced?

A
  • Ballot is during each parliamentary session a bill can be presented to the parliament by 20 private members.
  • Ten minute rule of back benchers under the rule that any member of the parliament can make a speech for up to ten minutes.
17
Q

What are the three types of bill?

A
  • Public bill which focuses on public matters.
  • Private bill only focuses on individuals.
  • Hybrid bills are introduced by the government but only affect particular person or group.
18
Q

How can bills be sponsored?

A
  • By individual Members of the Parliament which are viewed as back benchers.
19
Q

What are the stages of the legislative process?

A
  • The first reading.
  • The second reading.
  • The committee stage.
  • The report stage.
  • The third reading.
  • Opposing house.
  • Royal assent.
20
Q

What is the first reading?

A
  • Formal procedure.
  • Name and aims of Bill read out.
  • No discussion.
  • Vote taken.
21
Q

What is the second reading?

A
  • Debate main principles of the Bill.

- Vote taken.

22
Q

What is the committee stage?

A
  • Detailed examination of each clause.
  • Standing committee.
  • Opposition and minority parties represented proportionally but government will take majority.
23
Q

What is the report stage?

A
  • Amendments made.
  • Amendments reported to the House.
  • Stage ensures committee can’t amend the Bill.
24
Q

What is the third reading?

A
  • Final vote.
25
Q

What is the opposing house stage?

A
  • Goes through the same 5 stages.
26
Q

What is the royal assent stage?

A
  • Monarch gives approval.
  • Becomes a formality.
  • Act comes into force at midnight therefore it is officially a law the next day.
27
Q

What are the advantages of the legislative process?

A
  • Democratic as law is made by the elected representative which the electorate chose.
  • Full reform as whole areas in one act can be reformed.
  • Broad policy and detailed rules set by the parliament allowing experts to add detail.
  • Consultation and taking into consideration the subjects of the Bill.
28
Q

What are the disadvantages of the legislative process?

A
  • Lack of time to consider all the proposals to law reformation.
  • Long process as stages can take several months.
  • Government control therefore own agenda prioritized and important issues can be missed as lack of time.
  • Complexity makes the acts difficult to understand.