Parliamentary Law Making

Question 1

What is a green paper?

Answer 1

Consultative document that sets out ideas for legislation

Question 2

What is a white paper?

Answer 2

Final/ firm proposals

Eg; court & legal services act 1989 preceded 3 green papers and 1 white paper

Question 3

What is a public bill?

Answer 3

A bill that affects a large majority of the population

Question 4

What is a government bill?

Answer 4

Bills that are introduced by government

Question 5

Give an example of a government bill

Answer 5

Access to justice act 1999

Question 6

Is a government bill public or private?

Answer 6

Public

Question 7

What is a private members bill?

Answer 7

Bills introduced by backbench MP’s whose names have been selected by ballot.

Question 8

Give an example of a private members bill

Answer 8

Abortion act 1967 by David Steele
Marriage act 1994
Murder act 1965 (death penalty removed)

Question 9

Is a private members bill public or private?

Answer 9

Public

Question 10

What is a private bill?

Answer 10

Only effect specific bodies of people

Question 11

Which type of bill is the abortion act 1967?

Answer 11

Private members bill

Question 12

Give an example of a private bill

Answer 12

Medway Council act 2004

Question 13

What is a hybrid bill?

Answer 13

A cross between a public bill and a private bill, effect the legal rights of a small number of people

Question 14

Give an example of a hybrid bill

Answer 14

The channel tunnel act 1987

Cross rail act 2008

Question 15

Which type of bill is the channel tunnel act 1987?

Answer 15

Hybrid

Question 16

Which type of bill is the cross rail act 2008?

Answer 16

Hybrid bill

Question 17

What happens in the first reading of a bill?

Answer 17

Title of the bill is dead out to the house

Question 18

Where do finance bills begin?

Answer 18

House of Commons

Question 19

What happens in the second reading?

Answer 19

House holds a debate on the main principles of the bill, a vote is taken to see whether bill should procede further.

Question 20

What happens in the committee stage?

Answer 20

Detailed examination of each clause, amendments posed.

Question 21

What happens in the report stage?

Answer 21

Committee reports back to the house from any amendments that have been made, these are debated and voted on.

Question 22

What happens in the third reading?

Answer 22

Bill presented to house and a final vote is taken?

Question 23

What is ping pong?

Answer 23

Bill being passed to and from the House of Lords and the hour of commons after amendments have been made.

Question 24

What is the order of the stages that take place when a bill first goes to either the House of Lords or the House of Commons?

Answer 24

First reading
Second reading
Committee stage
Report stage
Third reading

Question 25

Once a bill has successfully been through the stages in both houses, what happens?

Answer 25

Royal assent

Question 26

What is royal assent?

Answer 26

Formal consent of the monarch

Question 27

When was the last time a monarch refused a bill?

Answer 27

Queen Anne 1707

Question 28

Give an advantage of the parliamentary process

Answer 28

Democratic Takes note of public opinion Thorough and detailed

Question 29

Give a disadvantage of the parliamentary process

Answer 29

Time consuming Inadequate scrutiny House of Lords (not elected) able to delay Can take a long time

Question 30

What is parliamentary supremacy?

Answer 30

The idea that parliament is the supreme law making body in the country

Question 31

What is a limitation on parliamentary supremacy?

Answer 31

Must follow EU law | Must follow human rights act 1998

Question 32

Give an example of a pressure group

Answer 32

Green peace | Etc

Question 33

What is a sectional group?

Answer 33

Represent their own particular section of society

Question 34

Give an example of a sectional group?

Answer 34

Trade unions | Professional associations

Question 35

What is a causal group?

Answer 35

Promote an idea or belief

Question 36

Give an example of a causal pressure group

Answer 36

Green peace | Amnesty international

Question 37

Give an advantage of pressure groups

Answer 37

Give the public a voice Help tell MP’s what people want Raise public awareness Can be consulted for expertise

Question 38

Give a disadvantage of pressure groups

Answer 38

Smaller pressure groups often go unrecognised Strikes and protests can cause problems Sometimes only represent a minority view

Question 39

Define pressure groups

Answer 39

Bodies of people with a shared interest which influence the government in making the law

Question 40

Give an advantage of the media in law making?

Answer 40

Powerful in bringing issues to publics attention | Adds weight to a public opinion

Question 41

Give a disadvantage of the media in law making?

Answer 41

Can represent the minority (newspaper companies) Newspapers often adopt views which reflect those of their owners Can be bias Information is not always factual