Law Paper 1

• Parliamentary Law Making

  1. Introduction of Legislation

  2. Committee Stage

  3. Report Stage

  4. Third Reading

  5. Consideration in the Other Chamber

  6. Consideration of Amendments

  7. Royal Assent
• Green Papers

  Consultation documents presenting proposals for new laws or policy changes
• White Papers

  Documents outlining finalized proposals for legislation
• Drafting of Bills

  Careful consideration of the legal language and structure of the proposed law
• First Reading

  Formal presentation of the bill and its title, no debate
• Second Reading

  Bill is debated, members discuss general principles and purpose, vote taken
• Detailed Examination

  Bill scrutinized in detail by a committee, amendments may be proposed and debated
• Consideration of Amendments

  Proposed amendments debated and voted upon by the committee
• Further Examination

  Bill, as amended, considered by the whole chamber, further amendments may be proposed
• Approval of Amendments

  Any amendments agreed upon are formally approved
• Final Debate

  Bill debated for the final time, no further amendments can be made
• Introduction in the Other Chamber

  Bill introduced in the other chamber, undergoes similar process
• Ping-Pong Stage

  If both chambers cannot agree, bill goes back and forth until agreement is reached
• Royal Assent

  Bill sent to the monarch for formal approval, becomes law
• Enactment

  Act published and comes into force on a specified date
• European Law Making involves various EU institutions including the European Commission, Parliament, Council, and Court of Justice
• EU legislation is proposed by the European Commission and approved by the European Parliament and Council
• Directives

  Binding on member states but require national implementation
• Regulations

  Directly applicable
• EU law has direct effect and supremacy over conflicting national laws
• Pressure groups advocate for legal changes aligned with their interests through lobbying and public campaigns
• Judicial decisions can prompt legislative action or lead to changes in legal principles through the doctrine of precedent
• The European Commission proposes legislation, the European Parliament and Council approve legislation, and the European Court of Justice interprets EU law
• Sources of EU law

  • Treaties
  • Regulations
  • Directives
  • Case law
• Rule of Law


  Ensures consistency, predictability, and fairness in the application of laws
• Courts and policymakers must weigh competing rights, values, and priorities to make decisions
• Substantive Justice

  Fairness of outcomes achieved through legal rules and principles
• Procedural Justice

  Fairness of processes and procedures used to resolve legal disputes
• Courts, tribunals, and alternative dispute resolution mechanisms play key roles in achieving justice
• Directly applicable regulations


  Rules or instructions that apply specifically to a particular situation or context. These are regulations that must be followed in order to comply with the law or to meet certain standards.
• UK Constitution


  The UK's constitution is made up of a collection of laws, conventions, and principles, rather than a single written document.
• Parliamentary Sovereignty


  The principle that Parliament is the supreme law-making authority in the UK, and can pass, amend, or repeal any law it chooses.
• Separation of Powers


  The idea that the powers of government should be divided among different branches or institutions to prevent any one body from becoming too powerful.
• Rule of Law


  The principle that everyone, including those in power, must follow the law and that the law must be applied equally to all, and that the law must be clear, predictable, and accessible.
• Law Reform Agencies


  Organizations responsible for conducting research and making recommendations for updating and improving the law.
• The Law Commission


  A Law Reform Agency responsible for conducting research on areas of the law that are in need of reform, making recommendations for legal reforms to Parliament, and ensuring that the law is fair, modern, and accessible.
• Doctrine of Precedent


  The legal principle that requires courts to follow the legal principles established by previous decisions made by courts of equal or higher authority.
• Human rights


  Basic rights and freedoms to which all individuals are entitled.
• Society


  • Common territory, interaction and culture
  • Many individuals share: Culture, Language, Beliefs, Values and Behaviour
  • Not necessarily sharing every aspect of culture
  • Many societies within one geographical country
• Roles for law in society

  • To protect people from harm
  • To Ensure a common good
  • To settle arguments and disputes