legislative process

what are the steps for a bill to become an act of parliament?

first reading
second reading
committee stage
report stage
third reading

what are the 3 different types of bills?

private, public and private members

what are the 2 different types of papers used in the creation of acts of parliament?

green and white

what is a public bill and an example of one?

involve matters of public policy (finance act 2017)

what is a private members bill and an example?

sponsored by individual MPs (abortion act 1967)

what is a private bill and an example?

affect only individual people/corporations (UCL act 1996)

what is a green paper?

has the intention to change the law and outlines the format it could take. published online for public to comment on/distribute copies to interested parties

what is a white paper?

positive proposal on format of new law. includes changes as response to opinions of interested parties. further chance for consultation before final bill enters parliament

what are the parliament acts of 1911 and 1949?

allows royal assent to be given without approval of the lords

what are two examples of the parliament acts of 1911 and 1949?

war crimes act 1991
hunting act 2004

what is an example of a bill becoming an act of parliament?

european (withdrawal act) act 2018 - given royal assent in june 2018

what happens in the first reading?

name and main aims of the bill are read out. vote takes place using ‘aye’ or ‘no’. if undecided, members leave the chamber and walk past a teller who physically count them

what happens in the second reading?

main debate on the bill where MPs debate principles. those wishing to speak must catch the eye of the speaker who controls all debates. vote takes place like the first reading 

what happens in the committee stage?

detailed examination of each clause is undertaken - usually done by standing committee of 16-50 MPs 

what happens in the report stage?

committee report to HOC on amendments voted and passed in committee stage. amendments are debated and accepted or rejected

what happens in the third reading?

final vote on the bill - almost a formality as a bill is unlikely to fail at this late stage 

what happens in the house of lords in the legislative process?

if bill started in the HOC, it passes to the HOL where it goes through the first 5 stages. if any amendments are made it goes back to HOC for consideration (parliamentary ping-pong)

what happens in the royal assent stage?

monarch formally approves the bill so it becomes an act of parliament under royal assent act 1961. monarch won’t have the text of the bill he is assenting - only the short title

who was the last monarch who refused to assent a bill?

queen anne in 1707 with the scottish militia bill