1. Unit 1: Section A: Parliamentary Law Making Influences on Parliament (continued)
Specification Link
Outline of influences on Parliament: role of the Law Commission; political, media and pressure group influences
Learning Objectives
Describe the role the Law Commission, politics, the media and pressure group have on influencing Parliamentary law making
Analyse the advantages and disadvantages of these influences on Parliament
S&C: It can be said that these different influences on Parliament are the essence of true democracy. Why is this?
Starter: Quick quiz
What is the difference between a life peer and hereditary peer?
Roughly how many MPs sit in the House of Commons?
Who is the opposition?

2. The Task
Create a poster showing the different influences on Parliament
Rationale
Synthesis – taking information in one format and recreating it in a different format is a higher order skill and can help you to remember key facts
Criteria
You must include the Law Commission, political pressure, media and pressure groups.
You must include authority (cases and statutes) that demonstrate each source of pressure.
You must include past exam questions

3. Law is passed! People pressure MPs in the House of Commons vote
Government propose making it law
The Queen has the final decision
(Royal Assent)
MPs in the House of Commons vote
The Lords in the House of Lords vote

4. The Law Commission - Description
Independent, permanent and full-time law reform body.
Set up by Law Commissions Act 1965
Full time staff headed by five Law Commissioners including Chairman
Chairman is a High Court Judge and has a large remit
Remaining commissioners are all academic or practicing lawyers.
Each commissioner has a team working for them
Sec 3(1) of the Act states role is ‘KEEP UNDER REVIEW ALL THE LAW’
This includes codification, consolidation, repeal, simplification and modernisation of the law. 4

5. Codification
Means bringing together of all the law on a particular topic into one Act of Parliament.
At the start was supposed to simplify contract, landlord and tenant laws, family law, and the law of evidence.
1989 draft Criminal Code published but not yet implemented.
Original plan over ambitious
Now looking to codify smaller areas
Criminal now moved to Murder and Homicide November 2006 5

6. Consolidation
Means bringing together of all the statutory provisions relating to a particular area into one Act of Parliament.
Makes law more understandable and accessible.
Does not require changes in the law (Education Act 1996)
Both require constant updating
This is due to Judges and Government adding or interpreting the law soon after it comes into effect 6

7. Repeal Removal of laws that have no further use.
Once passed can generally only be repealed or altered by another act 7

8. Operation These processes simplify the law
Also necessary to suggest changes and create new areas of law.
In your groups think of an example of a necessary change and a totally new area of law in the past 10 years.
Areas referred by government and has an autonomous role
Also pressure form other areas (Criminal Attempts Act 1981 from academics)
Research Working Paper Consultation Report
Example Year and a Day Reform Act 1996 8

9. Advantages
Can you think of the advantages of the service offered by the Law Commission?
Possesses a large amount of expertise
Large amount of research carried out
Therefore well informed and helps to make good law
Independent (all areas kept under review not those government interested in)
May decide to investigate itself 9

10. Disadvantages
Can you think of the disadvantages of the service offered by the Law Commission?
About a third of recommendations not implemented.
Government not obliged to carry out recommendations
Government does not have to consult when it implements law
Investigations too lengthy and takes too long to come to fruition
Lack of thoroughness as investigates up to 30 issues at a time 10

11. Eye on the exam
Describe any one influence operating on Parliament in the law-making process. (10 marks)

13. Homework Read the information on the Legislative Process
Take notes and revise key content
Prepare to be tested on this next lesson