The process of making a law

• what are the two houses of parliament?

  House of Lords (HL) and the house of Commons (HC)
• What is the significance of Westminister in the context of making law?

  It is the location of parliament
• Who is the prime minister

  They are the leader of the government
• What is the government?

  The political party that has the majority of MPs (members of parliament)
• What is the composition of the House of Commons?

  Comprises of elected members of parliament
• What is the composition of the House of Lords?

  It comprises of unelected Peers
• What is the cabinet?

  The group of senior MPs who decide the government policies
• What is a minister?

  A member of Parliament who is appointed by the prime minister to head a particular area.
• What is meant by a member of parliament?

  Someone who was elected by the public to represent their constituency
• What is meant by the opposition in terms of making the law in England?

  The party who was the runner up in the election.
• Who are backbench MPs?

  They are individual MPs who are not part of the government opposition
• What is meant by a constituency?

  How the UK is split into areas
• What is a peer?

  someone who was appointed to sit in the HL
• Give an example of a Peer who sits in the House of Lords?

  Lord Alan Sugar
• What is a general election?

  Where people go vote for an MP every 5 years
• What is a bill?

  A draft legislation
• What is a legislation?

  LAw made by parliament following a set procedure.
• What are examples of legislation??

  The offences against the person act 1861

  The Human rights act 1998
• Describe the role of the members of the house of commons?

  They introduce, debate and scrutinize new bills. They vote on the passage of a bill through parliament.
• Describe the power of the house of commons.

  It has the most power as the members are elected into power. If chosen, the HC can delay a law with a 1 year delay.
• Describe the ro0le of the house of lords

  The HL reviews proposals from the HC although the HL can introduce its own bills too.

  The HL's main legislative role is to scrutinise and revise bills from the HC . The HC will normally accept most amendments made by the HL.
• Describe the power of the HL?

  According to the parliament acts of 1911 and 1949, the HL can delay a bill for up to a year if it disagrees with the bill.

  That said, the following year the HC can pass the bill without approval from the HL, this happened with the hunting act of 2004.
• What role does the reigning monarch have in parliament

  The monarch can summon the two houses of parliament and dissolve them in an order that an election may be held using the royal prerogative. The monarch also gives royal assent to bills.
• The 7 stages to a bill passing through the parliamentary law making system if it is introduced in the HC is:

  1. First Reading
  2. Second reading
  3. Committee stage
  4. Report stage
  5. Third reading
  6. Visits the house of lords
  7. Royal Assent
• Describe what happens to a bill in the First reading stage?

  The title of the bill is read, the bill is ordered to be printed. A date is set for the second dreading, this is normally 2 weeks if it is a government bill. This is a mere formality, there is no debate, discussion or vote.
• What happens ion the second reading?

  The government minister who made the bill proposes it to the HC.

  There is a debate of general principles

  Tinhere are no amendments made to individual clauses

  The main principles are outlined and the most important clauses are simplified.

  The opposition spokesperson will respond

  There is a vote on the bill --If the house votes against the bill, it will not go any further.
• What happens in the committee stage

  The Bill is taken to the public bill committee of 16 - 50 MPs.

  Each clause is debated and voted on individually.

  The government produces explanatory materials which set out the basis for and the meaning of the bill.

  Amendments can be made so long as they are in keeping with the spirit of the bill.
• What happens in the report stage?

  The Public Bill Committee reports back to the whole house.

  the amendments are discussed, if there are no amendments then there isn't a report stage.

  All MPs can speak and vote, and further amendments can be made and discussed.
• what happens in the third reading?

  The bill is reviewed in its final form and voted on. Drafting amendments are allowed, but substantive amendments are not. If substantive amendments are made, the bill will go back to the committee. The bill is then sent to the House of Lords.
• What happens to a bill when it reaches the house of lords?

  All previous stages are repeated in the house of lords. Amendments can be made, which must be agreed on by the HC. Parliamentary acts 1911 and 1949 allow the HL to delay the passage of a bill for up to 1 year.
• What happens when a bill reaches the royal assent stage?

  The monarch formally approves the bill, becoming an act of parliament. Under the royal assent act of 1967, the monarch will only have the short title of the bill.
• What is the commencement date?

  It is the date in which the act comes int force, it is specified in the commencement section in the act. Once it is on statute books, it will stay in place until it is amended or repealed.