A-Level法律-委任立法Delegated Legislation
Revision: Delegated LegislationParliament passes authority to other bodies to create laws.
Types of Delegated Legislation
Statutory Instruments (SIs)
Created by government ministers
Add detail to the parent Act
Road Traffic Act 1972
All motorcyclists must wear helmets; it is left to Minister of Transport how to legislate on the details such as what type of helmet
Road Vehicle Regulations 2003
Mobile phones cannot be used while driving
Bylaws
Local authorities make laws for a local area.
May also be made by some public corporations, e.g. London Underground
E.g. No drinking alcohol on the streets of Bury.
Orders in Council
Made by the Queen and Privy Council
In times of emergency
Most frequently where SIs would be inappropriate
E.g. Foot and Mouth crisis, 2001
UN Sanctions Order 1990
Imposed (food) sanctions on Iraq, upon invasion of Iraq
Reasons for Delegated Legislation (Advantages)
Relieves pressure on Parliamentary time
…… Control of Delegated Legislation
Power may be misused- bodies must be prevented making unsuitable DL
General control methods
1. Consultation
The creators consult experts in the relevant field; for example, a SI on road traffic law may be referred to the AA. The enabling Act may make such consultation compulsory.
2. Publication
All DL is published, therefore is available for public scrutiny
Parliamentary control
Parliament, through the doctrine of parliamentary sovereignty, may revoke any piece of DL.
Affirmative Resolution Procedure
May require that all DL under a particular Act is approved by a motion in both Houses of Parliament, with a debate and vote.
Must be passed within 40 days.
Rare, and only for parent Acts of importance
Negative Resolution Procedure
New DL displayed in Parliament will become law unless any MP objects within 40 days.
Parliamentary Committees
Committees from both Houses to scrutinize Parliamentary legislation
Scrutiny Committee: reviews SIs
Delegated Powers Committee: watchdog for all DL
Judicial control
Delegated legislation may be challenged in the courts
If a piece of DL goes beyond the powers granted to it by Parliament in the relevant statute, it can be deemed "ultra vires" and therefore void.
A piece of DL can be challenged by anyone who believes that they have been adversely affected by it. They will apply to the High Court for Judicial Review.
The court will ask:
a) Did the maker of the DL exceed the powers given in the parent Act?
Bulger case 1996
Home Secretary Michael Howard intervenes to increase minimum sentence of 2 murderers from 8 to 15 years; this was ultra vires.
R v Wood 1855
Minister for Health created an SI that would force all people to clear snow off their own paths, on the pretext that it was an "unhygienic substance"
b) Is the DL irrational or unreasonable?
Strickland v Hayes BC
A bylaw would prohibit obscene songs/language in any place, including in private. Held to be unreasonable.
c) Has there been a defect in the procedure by which the DL was made?
Aylesbury Mushroom Case 1972
The minister did not consult the Mushroom Growers' Association when a piece of DL relating to them was made.
Evaluation of control methods
Consultation - adds a democratic element to the process
Publication - available for public scrutiny
Affirmative Resolution - again democratic, both Houses
"Irrational/Unreasonable" - cannot make unreasonable demands
However, control methods may not be effective:
Air Navigation Order 1995 - had to be replaced within 3 months due to defects and errors
Criticisms of Delegated Legislation
Taken from Phil Harris, "An Introduction to Law"
Takes legislation away from elected bodies
(Except in the case of local authorities)
Some DL causes a minister to have actual legislative power
European Communities Act 1972- gives ministers power to make provisions which implement EU policies
CLSA 1990- LC has power to amend/repeal laws on provision of legal services
Sub-delegation
Much law made by civil servants, merely rubber-stamped by ministers
Made largely in private-lack of publicity
Like statute, can suffer from obscure/difficult wording
Insufficient control
Public are frequently unaware of how to challenge it
Air Navigation Order 1995
Some enabling Acts give wide powers to Ministers
Hard to prove them acting ultra vires
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