Parliamentry Law Making

• Debate.
• Scrutinise.
• Vote on whether to approve laws proposed by government.
• Democratic
• Elected by public

• approximately 700 members
• unelected
• unpaid
• voluntary
• born into the role or have a life achievement that has been recognised.
• 26 bishops
• some sit on specialist committees
• amend
• scrutinise
• complement work of commons

• Opens each parliamentry session
• Gives the royal assent to all legislation
• Appoint and dismiss prime minister

Public Bills

• government bills - introduced by ministers- eg tax
• private member bills - introduced by MPs or parliamentry back benchers
• 

Private Bills

• dont affect everyone - only certain people or locailities.
• eg edward berry and doris elleen ward act, step father and step daughter marry

Hybrid Bills

• combination of private and public.
• only affect certain people but introduced by ministers
• eg - the channel tunnel rail link act.

Media

• Covering the channels in which information is transmitted - Internet, TV etc.
• as public gets there information from tv, newspaper it is inevitable that the media will influence public opinion.
• media campaigns can raise awareness of problems, this will lead to pressure on the government to make changes eg - Jamie Oliver healthy schools.

Advantages

• Raises public awareness
• raises government awareness - know what interests public

Disadvantages

• media can be politically biased - reporters may add there opinions
• media can sensationalise issues in order to sell more copies
• media can create public panic.

Pressure Groups

• Pressure Groups are groups of people whose aim is to raise awareness about a particular issue and to put pressure on the government to change the law.
• There are 2 types of pressure groups sectional and cause.

Sectional Pressure Groups

• they exist to further the interests of a particular body of people.
• Sectional Groups have a particular interest in common. for example, they may all work in the same profession. a sectional group works for the benefit of its members.
• Examples of these are teachers union and national farmers.
• 

: D

• Government will listen to there views
• raise public awareness - media, protests, petitions, campaigns, strikes.

: (

• Biased for there cause
• lead to criminal activity during protests

Cause Pressure Groups

• Cause groups have a particular goal in mind. For example, they may want to help underprivileged children or to ban smoking in public places.
• An interest group that attempts to influence legislation through the use of propaganda
• Greenpeace is an example of an environmentally focused cause group.
• other examples are fathers for justice and RSPCA.

: D

• Raises public awareness

: (

• Biased.

Law Commission

• independent reform body
• suggest proposals for changes in the law.
• 

: D

• politically neutral
• expertise
• keeps all areas of the law under review

: (

• many of its recommendations are not implemented
• lengthy process
• may not be thorough enough