stages

• green paper - discussion document, sets out idea for new law, may include several alternatives government remains uncommitted to the idea
• white paper - finalised version of idea produced governments 'statement of intent'
• parliamentary stages - pre parliamentary stages, legislative stages
• pre parliamentary stages - idea stage, consultation stage
• idea stage - idea for new law from sources such as law commission, royal commission reports, manifesto promises etc
• consultation stage - idea discussed with experts and interested parties
• legislative stages - first reading, second reading, committee stage, report stage, third reading (house of commons, house of lords)
• first reading - bill read out by sponsoring mp, published, date set for second reading
• second reading - whole house debates, division - vote, mps pass through aye or no door, counted, speaker announces 'ayes have it' (majority in favour - passes to next stage, political parties use 'whip' system to ensure party support)
• committee stage - bill scrutinised by public bill committee (16-50 mps) suggestions made at second reading considered, suggests amendments, additions and deletions
• report stage - public bill committee report back to house with any proposals for changes, debated then voted on - no proposals, no report stage
• third reading - final read through of bill, short debate and vote for any final changes, bill passed through house, continues through parliament to second chamber
• house of lords - same 5 stages repeated, made up of unelected life peers (ex politicians, medical experts, business experts etc) and senior bishops, checks fine detail of bill, suggest changes 'ping pong'
• house of commons do not have to make any changes
• house of lords can delay bill by 1 year (1 month for finance bills) but cannot prevent a bill from being passed
• house of commons can invoke parliament act 1911 and 1949 to avoid delay, used for hunting act 2005
• royal assent - bill becomes act of parliament once the king signs it giving his royal assent
• bills can start in either house of lords or house of commons, finance bills must start in house of commons