Lights, Camera, Parliament!Parliament’s Education Service

Making Sense of Making Laws

MAKING A NEW LAW

If a new law is going to be created...

...the three parts of Parliament have to agree.

LAW TIMELINE

• Put the following laws in order starting with the oldest firstCar seat belts must be worn when available Equality of the voting age for men and womenEnd of Capital Punishment for High Treason in the UKIntroduction of the National Health ServiceAge you must attend school raised to 16

A)B)C)D)E)

19281948197219911998

BILLS IN PARLIAMENT Stages of a bill

First Reading

Second Reading

Committee Stage

Report Stages

Third Reading

Lords Stages

Royal Assent

THE ISSUE

What are the main issues/problems in your local area?

> Why is it a problem?

> Who are the people affected?

> Who are the people responsible?

> What solutions to the problem can you think of?

> What law will solve the problem?

ISSUE VS. LAW

ISSUE – Before 1918 women were not allowed to vote

CAMPAIGN - Campaign for the right of women to vote

LAW - Representation of the People Act 1918 (As a result of the Act, some 80% of women over 30 qualified to vote)

YOUR NEW LAW

> Name of your law

> What is the law going to do – why is it needed?

> Who will it affect?

> How will you enforce your law?

> Is it going to cost anything?

PUBLIC SPENDING

HOW TO GET HEARD

Organised

letter writing

Publicity

stunts

Create a

Facebook

group

Publish emotive stories

Involve a celebrity

Join a pressure group Organise a

demonstration

Contact your

MEP

Speak to local

representative

Lobby your local MP

Resources

Available by post:

> Educational booklets available for ages 7-18

Interactive whiteboard resources

>www.parliament.uk/education/online-resources/whiteboard-resources.htm

An Introduction to Parliament

>What can you do?Features

>Differentiated: levels 1 to 3 (KS2 – KS4&5)

>On screen prompt mode

>Teachers’ walkthrough

>Accompanying worksheets

>Zoom into the House of Lords and the House of Commons chambers.

>Run classroom quizzes.

>Explore the difference between Parliament and government by building your own interactive diagram.

ALSO AVAILABLE: ELECTIONS AND VOTING

Videos

A short film on how laws are made – this can be found at www.parliament.uk/education/online-resources/parliament-explained/the-commons-and-lords/