Parliamentary Processes

• What is the government process of law making?

  The process through which laws are made by Parliament, referred to as legislation.
• What is government?


  The government is formed by the party with the largest amount of MPs in the House of Commons.

  It includes the prime minister, their cabinet members & ministers.
• What is Parliament?


  The law making body that consists of the House of Lords, the House of Commons & the monarch.
• How many MPs are in the House of Commons?

  650 MPs.
• What is a hereditary peer & what are examples of them?

  Individuals that inherit their titles from family. Examples include:

  (1) The Earl of Dundee

  (2) Lord Guedes
• What is a life peer & what are examples of them?

  A person who has been awarded a peerage for making an outstanding contribution to public life.

  They are appointed by the monarch on the advice of the PM. Examples include:

  (a) Baroness Amos

  (b) Lord Bailey of Paddington
• What is the role of the House of Lords?

  They act as a 'double check' on laws from the Commons, and review laws.

  They are unelected & appointed by the PM and monarch.
• What is the role of the monarch?

  They sign laws that Parliament passes, which is referred to as royal assent.

  This is a simply a convention, and no monarch has refused since 1707.
• What are examples of ministers?

  (1) Minister of Justice

  (2) Minister of State for Prisons

  (3) Minister of Employment
• What is a green paper?

  A document put forward by the relevant minister as to how the law could be changed & is a document of consultation during which experts in the area will put forward their opinion.
• What is a white paper?

  This is a draft outline of the bill, and will include firm proposals & ideas from the consultation.
• What are the stages of passing a bill?

  (1) First reading

  (2) Second reading

  (3) Committee stage

  (4) Report stage

  (5) Third reading

  (6) Ping Pong to the Lords
• (1) What is the first reading?

  This is the formal introduction of a bill & is consistent across both houses.

  The minister responsible for the bill will read out the aims & name of the bill to the Commons.
• (2) What is the second reading?

  This is the main debate reading, in which the key principles of the bill are summarised by the relevant minister and they are debated.

  The opposition can also respond and debate on the bill.

  It is voted on and can only progress with a majority.
• (3) What is the committee stage?

  When a standing committee of 16-50 members will analyse the bill in detail.

  Amendments added will be voted on and the chairperson of the committee will only vote in case of a tie.
• (3.1) What does the composition of the committees reflect?

  The party proportions to ensure fairness.
• (4) What is the report stage?

  This is when the committee will report back to the House on any accepted amendments.

  Each amendment will be voted on and be rejected or accepted.
• (5) What is the third reading?

  The bill will be reviewed in its final form, and no substantive amendments can be made during this stage.
• (6) What is the passage through the lords?

  It will go through the same process, and if the Lords make amendments then it will go to the Commons for consideration.

  This is referred to as 'parliamentary ping pong.