2A.5.1 Influences on Parliament

Question 1

Influences on Parliament

Answer 1

• Political manifestos
• Media
• Pressure groups
• Lobbying

Question 2

What are pressure groups?

Answer 2

Pressure groups are groups of people who campaign as they have a special interest in a subject or cause.

They can bring their interest or cause to the attention of the general public and government.

This can be done by lobbying a government minister or department responsible for an issue.

Question 3

Two types of pressure groups

Answer 3

• Sectional pressure group
• Cause pressure group

Question 4

Sectional pressure group

Answer 4

A pressure group that exists to represent the interests of a group of people and often represent workers’ groups or professions.

For example:
- The Law Society
- The British Medical Association
- Trade unions

Question 5

Cause pressure group

Answer 5

A pressure group that exists to promote a particular cause.

For example:
- Environmental campaign groups such as Greenpeace
- Animal welfare groups
- Human rights groups, such as Amnesty

Question 6

Examples of how pressure groups have influenced law making

Answer 6

Pressure groups may make the government reconsider certain areas of law. For example, the passing of the Hunting Act 2004, which banned hunting foxes with dogs.

Sometimes pressure groups will campaign against a proposed change to the law. This was seen when, in 1997, government attempts to restrict the right to trail by jury were opposed by the Law Society and Bar Council.

Question 7

Special interest groups

Answer 7

These are special interest groups such as the Trades Union Congress (TUC) and the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), which have contributed to changes in employment law such as the Equal Pay Act 1970.

Question 8

Example of how political manifestos have influenced law making

Answer 8

For example:
- The Labour Party’s 1997 general election manifesto promised to ‘bring rights home’. This was achieved by the government when Parliament passed the Human Rights Act 1998.

Question 9

Political Manifestos

Answer 9

When there is a general election, all the political parties publish a list of their policies and suggest reforms and new laws they would introduce if they were elected as the next government.

This is called the party’s manifesto, and it is one of the ways in which each party tries to persuade people to vote for them. The manifesto can include policies on issues such as finance, education, transport, and law and order.

Question 10

Individual MPs’ influence on Law Making

Answer 10

During parliamentary sessions, individual MPs may be able to introduce legislation by Private Members’ Bills.

They may adopt campaigns started by others or have strong beliefs which they want to promote.

• An example of a Private Members’ Bill that became law was the Abortion Act 1967, introduced and promoted by David Steel MP.

Question 11

Lobbying

Answer 11

The process of trying to persuade government ministers of individual MPs to support a cause.

It is often carried out by members of pressure groups on behalf of a campaign to convince a minister or MP to act in a certain manner.

Question 12

What can lobbying take the form of?

Answer 12

• Individual meetings
• Writing messages
• Producing surveys or petitions to show wide support

Question 13

Give an example of how lobbying can influence law making

Answer 13

If a pressure group is successful in lobbying, it may persuade an MP to ask a question of a government minister, either privately or in Parliament, or the setting up of an inquiry.
Often lobbying by pressure groups will take many months or years to bring about government response or act. However, on occasions, a specific event may lead to a change in the law. For example:

• In the aftermath of the Dunblane massacre in 1996, a single-issue pressure group called ‘Snowdrop’ to campaign for the banning of handguns. Their campaign led eventually to a public inquiry, when led to the passing of the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997, which banned the private ownership of most handguns.

Question 14

What is media?

Answer 14

The term ‘media’ relates to the ways in which information is supplied to the public.

It includes television and radio, newspapers, magazines and internet sources.

Question 15

How can the media represent and influence public behaviour?

Answer 15

• Members of the public can make their views known by contacting media sources or by posting on social media
• Government regularly monitors social media to judge public opinion
• Government also uses focus groups to gauge opinion on an issue or their overall popularity.

On the other hand, media can be used by governments to make their views known and to attempt to influence public opinion.

Question 16

Give an example of where media campaigns have successfully brought about changes to the law.

Answer 16

When dangerous dogs attacked a number of adults and children, the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 was drafted and passed.

Question 17

How is the media an influence on law making?

Answer 17

The media can play a large role in bringing public opinion to the government’s attention.

Where an issue is given a high profile in the media, it will be brought to the attention of the public and politicians and may add to the weight of public opinion.

This is an advantage of a free press. The media are able to criticise government policy or demand government action. This can be especially effective in a general election campaign, where every political party is keen to gain public support.