The law-making process in England and Wales

This free course, The law-making process in England and Wales, introduces you to the sources of law in England and Wales. It examines the democratic law-making process and how and by whom proposed legislation is initiated, before introducing you to the Westminster Parliament, which creates legislation. It is within this Parliament that proposed legislation is considered and becomes law.

Syllabus

Introduction
Learning outcomes
1 An overview of the sources of law
1 An overview of the sources of law
2 Democracy
2 Democracy
2.1 The notion of democracy
2.1.1 The rights provided by Magna Carta
3 The Westminster Parliament
3 The Westminster Parliament
3.1 The House of Commons and the House of Lords
House of Commons
House of Lords
3.2 The Parliament Acts of 1911 and 1949
3.3 The function of each House
4 Does the Westminster Parliament demonstrate a democratic process?
4 Does the Westminster Parliament demonstrate a democratic process?
5 Pre-parliamentary process
5 Pre-parliamentary process
5.1 Different types of Bills
5.2 Pressure groups
5.3 Private member’s Bill
5.4 Agencies of reform
5.5 White and Green Papers
6 Draft Bills and pre-legislative scrutiny
6 Draft Bills and pre-legislative scrutiny
6.1 How statute law is made
6.1.1 First reading
6.1.2 Second reading
6.1.3 Committee stage
6.1.4 Report stage
6.1.5 Third reading
6.1.6 A Bill
6.2 An Act of Parliament
6.3 Reading a statute
7 Enabling legislation
7 Enabling legislation
7.1 So, why do we have delegated legislation?
8 Devolution – transfer of powers
8 Devolution – transfer of powers
8.1 Devolution in Wales
8.2 The call for a Welsh Assembly
8.3 The creation of the Welsh Assembly
8.4 Stages of a proposed piece of legislation in the Welsh Assembly
8.5 The referendum in Wales – to make its own laws
Conclusion
References
Acknowledgements

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