delegated legislation - a-level law revision & exam help by d

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OfficialExamDatesChecktheofficial

Unit1:LawMakingandtheLegalSystem>

DelegatedLegislation

WhatisDelegatedLegislationandhowitisauthorized?

DelegatedLegislationislawmadebyapersonorbodytowhomParliamenthasdelegatedlawmakingpowerhencethetermdelegatedlegislation.

Newlawsoftenneedtocompletemoredetailedrules.Parliamentdoesnothaveenoughtimeorexpertisetomakeallthesemoredetailedlaws.

Thereasonsfordetailednewlawsmaybebecause:

Anewlawmayberequiredforaspecificareaofthecountry,forwhichcasespecialistlocalknowledgemayberequired.

Alternately,anewlawonatechnicalmattersuchashealthoragriculturewillrequirespecialisttechnicalknowledge.

Sometimes,anemergencyoranewsituationmayrequirenewlawtobemadeveryquickly.Parliamentoftendoesnotpossessthenecessaryspecialistlocalortechnicalknowledgetomakelawsquickly.AlsotheformallegislativeprocessrequiringreadingsinbothHousesofParliament,isnotsuitablewherethereisanemergency.

Forthesereasonsitisnecessaryforparliamenttodelegatelawmakingpowertopeopleandbodieswhoarebetterequippedtomakethenecessarydetailedlegalreforms.

Parent(orenablingAct)

Bythispieceofprimarylegislation,parliamentgivesauthoritytootherstomakelaw.

Theparentactwillenablefurtherlawstobemadeunderthisauthority.

TheenablingActcontainstheoutlineframeworkofthenewlaw.

WithintheActtherewillbeauthorityforspecificperson(suchasaGovernmentMinister)orbody(suchasalocalauthority)tomakefurthermoredetailedlaws.

ThisActwillspecifytheareawithinwhichlawcanbemadeanyproceduresthatthedelegatedpersonorbodymustfollowwhenmakingthedelegatedlaws.

Lawmakingpowerisonlygiventopersonorbodybestequippedwiththeknowledgeandresourcestomakethetypeoflawrequired.

Ifpowerisgiventolocalauthoritythenthesepersonswillhavetherequiredknowledge.

Ifpowerisgiventoanotherbody,suchasatrainorbuscompany,itwillbegiventomakelawsinrespectoftheirproperty,(e.g.theenforcementforpaymentoffares).

OrdersinCouncil

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OfficialExamDates

OrdersincouncilarelawsmadebytheQueenandPrivyCouncilwhichareenforceableinCourts.

ThePrivyCouncilisabodymadeupofseniorcurrentandformerpoliticians,seniorjudgesandmembersoftheRoyalFamily.

Therearecurrently420membersofthePrivyCouncil;howeveronlythreeorfourcurrentGovernmentMinistersattendmeetingsatwhichOrdersinCouncilaremade.

AppointmentismadebytheQueenontheadviceoftheGovernmentandisforlife.

OrdersinCouncilareusedinmanysituations,including:

TransferringresponsibilitybetweenGovernmentdepartmentsorfromWestminsterdepartmentstoScottishParliamentsandtheWelshassembly;thiswasdonebytheScotlandAct1998Order1999andtheNationalAssemblyofWalesOrder1999.

Dissolvingparliamentbeforeanelection.

BringinginActofParliamentintoforce.

CompliancewithEUDirectives,forexampletheConsumerProtectionAct1987Order2000.

Dealingwithforeignaffairs,forexample,theAfghanistan(unitedNationsSanctions)Order2001,whichmakesitanoffencetomakefundsavailabletoOsamaBinLadenortheTalibanoranypersonorbodyconnectedwithOsamaBinLadenortheTaliban.

Intimesofnationalemergency,whenParliamentisnotsitting.Anexampleofanemergencysituationiswhichanorderincouncilwasmade,isasaresultoftheterroristattackson11thSeptember2001wherethereAfghanistanOrder2001waspassed.

StatutoryInstruments

StatutoryInstrumentsarelawmadebyGovernmentMinisterswithintheareaoftheirresponsibility.

Theyareenforceableincourts.

TheycanonlyactundertheauthorityoutlinedbyaParent/EnablingAct.

StatutoryInstrumentsaredraftedbythelegaldepartmentoftherelevantGovernmentdepartment.

StatutoryInstrumentsareoftenusedtoupdatelaw.E.g.theregularincreaseintheamountofthenationalminimumwageundertheNationalMinimumWageAct1998.

SometimeswiderpowersaregiventotheGovernmentMinistertofillinthenecessarydetailswhicharetoocomplextobeincorporatedintotheAct.

StatutoryInstrumentsareoftenreferredtoasRegulationsorOrders.

StatutoryInstrumentsareoftenmadeintheformofCommencementOrders.TheseareordersmadebyaGovernmentMinisterspecifyingwhenanactorpartofanactmustcomeintoforce.

SometimestheremaybeseveralCommencementOrdersmadeinrespectofthesameAct,i.e.theTownandCountryPlanningAct1971wasbroughtintoforceby75Orders.

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ThereisnotimelimitwithinwhichCommencementordermustbemadeaftertheActhasbeenpassed.ThismeansthatsomeActsareneveractuallybroughtintoforce,e.g.theEasterAct1928whichspecifiesafixeddateforEaster,buttheActhasneverbeenbroughtintoforce.

LawthatismadetocomplywithEUdirectivesisoftenmadeinStatutoryInstruments.E.g.theUnfairTermsinConsumerContractsRegulations1999weremadeinordertocomplywiththeUnfairTermsinConsumerContractDirective1993.

Approximately3000SIsareissuedeachyear,makingupthebulkofdelegatedlegislation.

AbouttwothirdsofSIsarenotactivelyconsideredbeforeParliamentandsimplybecomelawonaspecifieddateinthefuture.

ByLaws

Bylawsaremadebylocalauthoritiesandpubliccorporationsorcompanies.

TheymustbeapprovedbytherelevantGovernmentMinistersbeforetheyareenforceableintheCourts.

Localauthoritiescanmakelawswhichapplyjustwithintheirgeographicalarea.ACountryCouncilcanpasslawsaffectingawholecountry,whileaCity,TownorDistrictCouncilmaypasslawsaffectingthatcity,townordistrict.

Theselawsmaydealwithissues,forexampledrinkingalcoholinpublicplacesorthefoulingofpublicareasbydogs.

AparentActinrespectofdogfoulingistheDogs(FoulingofLand)Act1996.UnderthisActalocalauthoritycandesignateareasoflandaspoopscoopareas.Thismeansdogsthatfoulindesignatedareasanddonocleanitup;theirownerswillbeasubjecttoafixedpenaltyof50.

ManybylawsaremadeundertheauthorityoftheLocalGovernmentAct1972.

Areashavesignsonlamppoststosupporttheprohibition.

Pubicbodiesandsomecompaniescanmakelawsregulatingthebehaviorofthepublicwhileontheirproperty,i.e.theTransportAct1993whereitwasmadeillegaltosmokeontrains.(BoddingtonvBritishTransportPolice(1998).

ControlofDelegatedLegislation

ParliamentaryControl

LimitsDelegatedLegislationthroughtheParent/EnablingAct.

Onlythepeopleorbodyspecifiedintheparentacthavepowertomakelaw,andextendofthatpowerisalsospecified.

Theparentactwillsetouthowthedelegatedlegislationmustbemadeandmaysetoutcertainprocedures,suchasconsultation,tobefollowed.

ParliamentSupremacyisnotcompromisedasParliamentultimatelyremainsincontrolofwhatlawismadeandhowitismade.

Parliamentmayrepealoramendthepieceofdelegatedlegislation,thisallows

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parliamenttomakeorunmakelaws.

Theeffectivenessofthiscontrolislimitedbecause,duetovolumeofdelegatedlegislationmadeeachyear,Parliamentwillnotbeabletocheckitall.

JointSelectCommitteeonStatutoryInstruments,alsoknownastheScrutinyCommitteewhichismadeupofMPsandPeerschecktheStatutoryInstrumentsandreferbacktotheHousesofParliament.

MaingroundsforreferringaSisbacktoHouseofParliamentarebecause:

ItappearstohavegonebeyondoroutsidethepowersgivenundertheParent/EnablingAct.

IthasnotbeenmadeaccordingtothemethodwrittenintheParentAct.

Unexpectedusehasbeenmadeofthedelegatedpower.

Ifitunclearordefective.

Ifitimposesataxorchargeonlyparliamenthastherighttodothis.

Ifitisretrospectiveinitseffects,andtheParent/EnablingActdidnotallowforthis.

ThisismoreeffectivecontrolasmanyStatutoryInstrumentsaresubjecttosomescrutiny.

Howeverimpossibletolookatallasover3000arecreatedeachyear.

ScrutinycommitteesarelimitedinthatithasnopowertoamendtheStatutoryInstruments,merelytoreportitsfindingbacktotheHouseofCommonsorLords.

However,researchbytheHansardSociety,reportedin1992,revealedmanyfindingsoftheScrutinyCommitteewereignored.

TheHouseofLordsDelegatedPowerScrutinyCommittee(setupin1993)considerswhethertheprovisionsofBillsgiveinappropriatedelegatedlegislativepower.ItreportstotheHouseofLordsbeforetheCommitteestageontheBill.

AffirmativeResolutionProcedure

StatutoryInstrumentsmustbeapprovedbyoneorbothHousesofParliamentwithinaspecifiedtime,usuallybetween28and40days,beforeitcanbecomelaw.

Disadvantages:

TimeconsumingcontradictingoneofthemainaimsofDelegatedLegislation.

StatutoryInstrumentscannotbeamendedbyParliament,onlyapproved,annulledorwithdrawn.

AstheGovernmentMinisterispartoftheGovernment,theywillnormallygetmostofthevotes.

Asaresultofthesedisadvantagestheaffirmativeresolutionisnotusedveryoften.

HoweverwithaffirmativeresolutiontheStatutoryInstrumentsmustalwaysbedebatedbyparliamentanditisthereforemoreeffectivethansomeoftheothercontrols.

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NegativeResolutionProcedure

TheStatutoryInstrumentsislawbeforeParliament,usuallyfor40days,andbecomeslawunlesseitherhousesvotestoannulit.

AllmembersofbothHousescanputdownamotionknownasaprayercallingforannulment.

Thereisthenadebateandvote.

IfeitherHousevotetopasstheannulmentmotion,theStatutoryInstrumentsdoesnotbecomelaw.

Moreoftenhowever,theStatutoryInstrumentsisnotannulledduringthe40dayperiodandsoautomaticallybecomeslaw.

Disadvantages:

Limitedeffect,asthereisnorequirementforMPstolookattheStatutoryInstrument.

MostDelegatedLegislationisnotchallengedandautomaticallybecomeslawafter40days.

However,thismethodofcontroldoesgiveopportunityforanymemberofeitherHousetoraiseobjections.

ThisinturnmayprovideformoredebateandconsiderationtobegiventotheprovisionsoftheStatutoryInstrument.

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