Teacher Resource 4 - The need for delegated legislation (answers)

This activity asks the learners to think about why we need delegated legislation and the important role that it plays in the law making.

Answer the following questions:

1. Why would it be difficult for parliament to make laws for your local area?

2. If there needed to be a small change to an existing law, why would it be better to get someone other than parliament to make this change?

3. If there was a war or a national crisis, why would it be problematic to pass laws in the usual way (legislation process)?

Why do we need delegated legislation? What are the disadvantages of making law through delegated legislation?

It saves Parliament time.

Parliament does not have the expert knowledge to make certain laws.

Laws can be made in an emergency.

Delegated laws can be easily revoked if they are not working.

Laws can be changed quickly and when necessary.

It is undemocratic to allow others to make laws.

Scrutiny of such a large amount of delegated legislation is difficult.

Lack of public knowledge of these laws.

The parliamentary controls are not always effective.

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The Members of Parliament would not have the local knowledge necessary to understand what laws are necessary in a given area.

Parliament do not have enough time to consider every small change that is necessary to update existing laws. It is also better to have such changes made by an expert.

It would not be practical to have the whole of parliament sitting during a war. Such laws may need to be passed quickly.

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