Disadvantages of Parliamentary Law Making

1. Why are Acts of Parliament considered complex?

Acts of Parliament are often very long and complex which can make them difficult to understand.

2. Why is the legislative process lengthy?

Where a Bill is introduced the process of becoming an Act can take several months due to the different reading, committee and report stages.

3. What issues arise from interpreting Acts of Parliament?

Many of the cases that go to the Supreme Court on appeals are about what the words in an Act of Parliament mean.

4. Why is there limited time for reforms in Parliament?

Parliament do not always have time to deal with all the reforms that are proposed.

5. What is meant by focus on ‘lawyers’ law’?

This is particularly true of reform of ‘lawyers law’ such as criminal law or the law of contract.

6. What is an example of slow reform?

For example, The Law Commission proposed changes to the law on offences against the person in 1993 and in 1997 the government accepted that there was a need for reform and published a draft Bill in 1998, it has been reviewed a number of times since but the law is yet to be put before Parliament to be reformed.

7. How does the government control the parliamentary timetable?

Government is in control of the parliamentary timetable and allows very little time for private members’ Bills.

8. Why is it difficult for private members’ Bills to succeed?

Even when a private member does manage to introduce a Bill, it can be easily voted out by government as they have the majority in the House of Commons.

9. What is the outcome for private members’ Bills?

The result is that very few private members’ Bills become law.