Legislation

Law made by a law-making body, particularly Parliament; Acts of Parliament are also called statute law.

Law made through the law-making process, such as an Act of Parliament.

A Green Paper sets out ideas for discussion which may lead to legislation. Consultation can reveal problems or competing needs, although asking for views does not mean that every suggestion will be accepted.

A law or set of laws passed by a legislature, such as the UK Parliament.

When explaining a difference, compare both sources of law directly: judges develop common law through cases, whereas Parliament makes statute law through legislation.

Use an example to support your explanation, such as Donoghue v Stevenson (1932) for common law or the Theft Act 1968 for legislation.

Do not describe common law and legislation as separate legal systems: judges apply and interpret legislation, and Parliament can change common-law rules.

Law made by a law-making body. Acts of the UK Parliament are a form of legislation, also called statute law.

The Constitutional Reform Act 2005 strengthened protection for this independence. It placed a duty on government ministers to uphold judicial independence and barred them from trying to influence judicial decisions through special access to judges. This shows how legislation can protect a fundamental legal principle.

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AQA GCSE Citizenship Studies · 8100

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Edexcel GCSE Citizenship Studies · 1CS0