Parliamentary Law Making - Paper 2

Question 1

What are the three institutions of Parliament?

Answer 1

House of Commons, House of Lords, and the Monarch

Question 2

Describe the composition of the House of Commons

Answer 2

Consists of MPs elected at a general election. The political party with the most seats in the Commons forms the government

Question 3

Describe the composition of the House of Lords

Answer 3

It is a non-elected body made up of life peers, hereditary peers, and senior bishops

Question 4

Which Acts of Parliament made the House of Lords less powerful than the House of Commons?

Answer 4

The Parliament Acts of 1911 and 1949

Question 5

Name the current Monarch and their function in the parliamentary process

Answer 5

King Charles III, and gives Royal Assent to a Bill

Question 6

What are the two main types of Bill?

Answer 6

Public Bills and Private Members Bills

Question 7

What is the difference between public bills and private members bills?

Answer 7

Public Bills are introduced by the government and involve matters of public policy, whereas Private Members Bills are introduced by individual MPs

Question 8

What is Dicey’s definition of parliamentary supremacy?

Answer 8

Parliament can legislate on any subject matter with no limits

No Parliament can be bound by any previous Parliament pass an Act which will bind a successor

No other body has the right to override or set aside an Act of Parliament

Question 9

What are the two limitations on parliamentary supremacy?

Answer 9

The effect of the Human Rights Act 1998, Devolution

Question 10

What is a Green Paper?

Answer 10

An idea for a new law, a consultation document

Question 11

What is a White Paper?

Answer 11

A firm proposal for a new law

Question 12

Explain what happens during the First Reading?

Answer 12

Minister gives information about the Bill, including its name and main aims

Question 13

Explain what happens during the Second Reading?

Answer 13

Main debate about the main principles of the Bill, not the smaller details. There is a vote on whether the Bill should proceed to the next stage

Question 14

Explain what happens during the Committee Stage?

Answer 14

Detailed examination of the Bill by a committee of between 15-60 MPs. Every line of the Bill is examined and amendments can be made

Question 15

Describe what happens during the Report Stage?

Answer 15

Committee reports back any amendments to the House. If there are no amendments, there is no report stage

Question 16

Explain what happens during the Third Reading?

Answer 16

Final vote on the Bill, normally a formality as its unlikely to fail at this stage

Question 17

What happens when a Bill is sent to the Other House?

Answer 17

Bill goes through the same five stages it did in the other House. Possible ‘ping pong’ effect if changes are made

Question 18

What is meant by Royal Assent?

Answer 18

Monarch formally gives approval to the Bill and it becomes an Act of Parliament

Question 19

What are the four main influences on Parliament?

Answer 19

1) Political
2) Public Opinion/Media
3) Pressure Groups
4) Lobbyists

Question 20

Explain what is meant by political influences?

Answer 20

Each political party will have its own policies and drafts a manifesto before a general election, if elected, these will be a major influence on the laws they introduce into Parliament, e.g. the European Union (Withdrawal) Agreement Act 2020 following Boris Johnson’s promise to ‘Get Brexit Done’ in the 2019 election

Question 21

What are the advantages and disadvantages of political influences?

Answer 21

Advantages:
1) Each party has its proposals ready if it is elected
2) A government majority means that most of the laws it introduces will be passed

Disadvantages:
1) New governments may repeal or alter laws made by previous governments
2) A small majority may find it difficult to get laws passed, as the Conservative / Liberal Democrat Coalition did in 2010-15

Question 22

Explain how public opinion/media can be an influence?

Answer 22

Strong public opinion may lead to a change in the law. The media may play an important role in highlighting problems

Question 23

What are the advantages and disadvantages of public opinion/media?

Answer 23

Advantages:
1) It brings the government’s attention to areas needing reform, e.g. handgun law following the Dunblane massacre

Disadvantages:
1) Responding quickly to high profile incidents can lead to poorly drafted laws, e.g. the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991
2) The media may manipulate news and create public opinion

Question 24

What are Pressure Groups?

Answer 24

Groups who have a particular interest and bring issues to the attention of the public and the government

Question 25

What are Sectional Pressure Groups?

Answer 25

They represent the interests of a particular group, e.g. the Law Society represents solicitors

Question 26

What are Cause Pressure Groups?

Answer 26

They promote a particular cause, e.g. Greenpeace

Question 27

What are the advantages and disadvantages of Pressure Groups?

Answer 27

Advantages: 1) They raise important issues, e.g. on the environment 2) A wide range of issues are drawn to Parliament's attention Disadvantages: 1) Groups can try to impose ideas even when the majority of the public don't agree 2) Two pressure groups can have conflicting interests and may want opposing things, e.g. Dignity in Dying are for euthanasia whereas Our Duty of Care are opposed to it

Question 28

What are lobbyists?

Answer 28

People who try to persuade individual MPs to support their cause. Used by pressure groups to highlight their problems

Question 29

What are the advantages and disadvantages of lobbyists?

Answer 29

Advantages: 1) Available to anyone as procedures exist to allow any constituent to lobby their MP 2) They raise awareness of a particular cause or interest Disadvantages: 1) Professional lobbyists can abuse the process, e.g. paying MPs to ask questions in Parliament