The Legislative process

• Initial stage

  • Draft Bills are issued for consultation before being proposed to Parliament - they are examined by select committees
  • Usually done by Government
  • They usually issue a paper for public consideration, green (general), white (specific)
• First Reading

  • Simply read out in Commons - no debate
• Second Reading

  • A full debate takes place, considering details of the bill
  • Bills can be defeated at this stage:
  • E.G Thatcher, The Shops Bill 1986, this would have ended government regulation of Sunday Shopping
• Report stage:

  • Public Bill Committee reports back to the commons
  • Amendments are voted on
  • Individual MPs can also propose amendments
  • If passed, it proceeds to final approval
• Third Reading

  • Final version of the bill is presented
  • There is a debate in the Commons
  • Followed by a final vote from the whole chamber
  • If successful it is passed to the Lords
• House of Lords stage

  • Bill is introduced in the Lords can goes through the same process that it did in the Commons
  • If the Lords suggest amendments it is sent back to the Commons they can accept or reject them, it can be sent back and forth (parliament ping-pong, e.g Prevention of terrorism Bill 2005)
  • Once all variations have been resolved, the Lords vote on the final text and usually approve
  • It is then sent for Royal Assent
• House of Lords Stage IMPORTANT FACTS: Parliament Act 1911, Lords cannot reject money bills, Lords also cannot veto, only delay. Salisbury Convention, Lords cannot delay or block legislation that was in a Government manifesto.
• Royal Assent

  • The final stage
  • Monarch signs the bill into law
  • A bill hasn't been vetoed at this stage since Queen Anne 1708.
  • The Bill is now an Act of Parliament
• Public bills -  Bills put forward by gov (in manifesto)
• Primary legislation - Major pieces of law passed by parliament
• Secondary legislation - Law created by the government or ministers, using the powers given to them in primary legislation
• Private Member’s Bills - Bills introduced in Parliament who are not part of the government