1. Homework:
Look at the Law Commission’s website ( and make a list of three areas of law which the Law Commission is currently researching.

2. Unit 1: Section A: Parliamentary Law Making Influences on Parliament
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
Discuss in your groups what you think the following things mean
Parliament
Government
Cabinet
The Monarchy
The Prime Minister
The Opposition
Elections

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

5. The House of Commons
This is made up of 650 elected Members of Parliament.
Must be a general election every five years.
By-elections take place if the MP has died or retired.
Normally the party that wins over half the MPs at the election forms the government. However in 2010 no party had an overall majority so that the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats formed a coalition government.

7. 26 most senior bishops in the Church of England
The House of Lords
90 Hereditary peers
640 Life Peers
26 most senior bishops in the Church of England
They discuss policies and may make changes to bills from the Commons.
Prior to 1999 there were many more hereditary peers. The Labour government renewed this and decided that an inherited title should not automatically allow for someone to take place in the Law making process
The 12 most senior judges (Law Lords) used to sit in the House of Lords. Now they are separate from Parliament and sit as the Supreme Court.

8. Comprehension For each of the following, summarise: What it is
How it influences Parliamentary law making
The Advantages
The disadvantages
Law Commission
Politics
European Union
Public Opinion/Media
Pressure Groups

9. Main Influences
Law Commission
Pressure Groups
Media 9

10. 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. 10

11. 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 11

12. 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 12

13. Repeal Removal of laws that have no further use.
Once passed can generally only be repealed or altered by another act 13

14. 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 14

15. 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 15

16. 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 16

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