Disadvantages of Parliamentary Law Making

Complexity of Acts of Parliament

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

Lengthy legislative process

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

Interpretation issues

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

Limited time for reforms

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

Focus on lawyers’ law

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

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.

Control of parliamentary timetable

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

Difficulty for private members’ Bills

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.

Outcome for private members’ Bills

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