Legislative Process

is Parliament the main law making body in the UK?

yes

what does Parliament consist of?

The House of Commons (elected body)

The House of Lords (unelected body)

around how many Act of Parliament are passed each year?

around 30 and they form the primary source of legislation made in the UK

what are the stages of the Legislative Process?

• Pre-legislative process (Green and White Papers)

• Bill is drafted

• First Reading

• Second Reading

• Committee Stage

• Report Stage

• Third Reading

• same procedures with other House

• Royal assent

What is a green paper?

an initial consultation document to gain views about proposed new law and inviting suggestions from a variety of interested parties

Amendment may be made in light of feedback

what is a white paper?

A document which sets out the government's preferred approach to a future piece of legislation

Limited opportunity to comment - this document is information

What is a Bill?

when a new law is making its way thought the formal stages of becoming an act of parliament it is known as a bill

what is a public bill?

involve matters of public policy affecting whole country or large section

most gov bills are in the category

eg. Criminal justice and courts Act 2015

what is a Private Members Bill?

give an opportunity to individual MP’s who are not part of government to introduce a bill

eg. Abortion Act 1967

what is a private bill?

designed to create law that will only affect individual people or corporations so they don’t affect whole community

eg. University College London Act 1966

where do Bills need to start?

can start either in House of Commons or House of Lords but Finance Bills must start in the Commons

what is the First reading?

formality where short title and main aims of the Bill are announced and an order for the Bill to be printed

no debate at this stage

what is the second reading?

main debate on whole Bill takes place via the Speaker

Minister, MP or Lord responsible describes aims and answers questions

vote is taken at the end and there must be a majority for the Bill to progress further

what is the Committee stage?

detailed examination of Bill by Committee of 15-60 MPs usually by standing committee or whole House of Lords

committee membership roughly in proportion to number of seats each party has in Commons

Committee entitled to make recommendations for necessary amendments

what is the report stage?

the Committee will report back any amendments to the House for debates

vote of whether to accept amendments

if no amendments at committee stage the Bill will go straight to next stage

what is the third reading

give house final chance to look at Bill again as whole

almost a formality as passed all stages so unlikely to fail now

what is repeat process in other House?

Bill passed to tother House where goes through same stages if either makes amendments then will go back to starting house and to and fro = ‘ping pong’ which will continue until agreed by both Houses

what happens if the two houses cannot agree?

under the Parliament Acts 1911 and 1949 the House of Lords can only delay passage of bill fro up to one year and not prevent it

what is Royal assent?

final stage where monarch formally gives approval but a formality mostly