acts of parliament

what are the 2 pre-legislative stages

green papers

white papers

green paper

sets out idea/reasoning for new law. minister for relevant government department will be responsible for it.

white papers

after consultations and amendments. set of firm proposals to be approved by cabinet, to then be formally drafted into a bill

what are the 7 legislative stages

first reading

second reading

committee stage

report stage

third reading

repeat process

royal assent

first reading

announce the bill, no vote/debate at this stage

second reading

main debate stage focused on larger principles, eg aims of the bill. vote taken and majority required for bill to proceed.

committee stage

detailed scrutiny by public bill committee. amendments can be made to reflect intention of bill.

report stage

committee reports back to parliament to inform of amendments

third reading

house looks at bills with amendments and see if they approve. no substantial changes made

repeat process

whole process repeats in opposite house and amendments made passed to original house for consideration and approval

royal assent

monarch gives consent - mere formality as its automatic assent

what are the three types of bill

• public bill

• private bill

• hybrid bill

types of public bill

• government bill

• private members bill

government bill

follows usual structure of bill passing through parliament, eg human rights act

private members bill

non government bills, introduced by individual back bench mps, usually cover non-party political issues, eg abortion act

private bill

affects one particular area/organisation/individual. always begins in the house of lords, eg university college london act

hybrid bill

combination of public and private bill - affects particular group and public at large simultaneously, eg channel tunnel act