Leo Amery MP described Parliament as ‘an overworked legislation factory’ (L.S. Amery, Thoughts on the Constitution, (Oxford: Oxford University Press 1964,) p. 41).

Discuss the extent to which this is an accurate description, and assess whether there are adequate opportunities for parliamentary scrutiny of Bills in the legislative process.

• Focus on analysing the legislative process for primary legislation. Why is parliamentary scrutiny important? Explain potential government dominance of the legislative process
• Outline the process for public Bills. At which stages does parliament scrutinise Bills? How effective is it in practice? (See the issues in section 11.3) You can support your arguments with statistics on the legislative process
• How effectively are committees used for scrutinising Bills?
• What proposals have been made and implemented for improved scrutiny?
• Think about the important role of the House of Lords in scrutinising Bills
• Also consider the processes and degree of parliamentary scrutiny of Private Members’ Bills