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Questions and Answers
What type of bills are proposed by an MP who is not a minister?
Which type of bills combine elements of public and private bills?
What distinguishes delegated legislation from Acts of Parliament?
Who can propose most public bills in the UK Parliament?
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In the UK Parliament, what role does the House of Lords play in the law-making process?
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What is the primary outcome when a bill receives Royal Assent in the UK Parliament?
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What is the most common type of delegated legislation mentioned in the text?
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Which entity has the final say in law-making according to the principle of parliamentary supremacy?
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What role does Parliament play in law-making based on the text?
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Which principle states that Parliament has the power to make, change, or repeal laws?
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What are some limitations to the principle of parliamentary supremacy according to the text?
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Study Notes
Parliamentary Law-Making: Types of Bills, Role of Parliament, Delegated Legislation, and Parliamentary Supremacy
Types of Bills
In the UK Parliament, bills are proposals for new laws. Once they pass through all stages of scrutiny in the House of Commons and House of Lords, they receive Royal Assent and become Acts of Parliament. There are three main types of bills:
- Public Bills: These bills apply to everyone and affect all people in the same way. Most public bills are Government bills, proposed by a minister.
- Private Members’ Bills: These bills are proposed by an MP who is not a minister. They usually affect particular groups, people, or places in a different way from others.
- Hybrid Bills: These bills combine elements of public and private bills, meaning they apply generally but also have a particular effect on specific groups, people, or places.
Role of Parliament
The UK Parliament plays a crucial role in the law-making process. It scrutinizes bills, debates their merits, and amends them before they become law. MPs can suggest amendments to bills at various stages, and the House of Lords provides a second chamber for further scrutiny and debate.
Delegated Legislation
Delegated legislation allows ministers to make changes to the law under powers given to them in an Act of Parliament. It is also known as secondary legislation to distinguish it from Acts of Parliament, which are primary legislation. Some delegated legislation is technical and updates the amount of a fine imposed by an Act, while others fill out the detail of a broad provision in an Act.
The Government can also add provisions to a bill to enable them to use delegated legislation to repeal or amend an Act of Parliament. Such provisions are known as Henry VIII clauses. Statutory instruments are the most common type of delegated legislation.
Parliamentary Supremacy
Parliamentary supremacy is the principle that the UK Parliament is the supreme law-making authority in the UK. This means that Parliament has the power to make, change, or repeal laws, and its decisions are final unless amended by a subsequent Act of Parliament or the courts.
However, this principle is not absolute, and there are certain limitations to it. For example, Parliament cannot make laws that conflict with international law without the consent of the international community, and certain rights, such as the freedom of speech, are protected by the common law and cannot be removed by an Act of Parliament.
In conclusion, parliamentary law-making involves various stages and processes, with bills being the primary means of proposing new laws. The role of Parliament is to scrutinize and amend these bills before they become law. Delegated legislation is a tool used by ministers to make changes to the law, and the principle of parliamentary supremacy ensures that Parliament has the final say in law-making in the UK.
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Description
Explore the types of bills in the UK Parliament, the role of Parliament in the law-making process, delegated legislation, and the concept of parliamentary supremacy. Learn about public bills, private members' bills, hybrid bills, how Parliament scrutinizes bills, and the limitations of parliamentary supremacy.
