the legislative process

• What happens in the first reading?

  name and main aims of the bill are read out

  it is a formal procedure with no discussion of the bill taking place

  Mps vote to allow the bill to continue
• What happens in the second reading?

  it is the main debate of the bill

  bill is introduced and explained by the government minister responsible

  Mps discuss the bill and then vote for it to continue

  the vote can be formal or verbal

  if formal the Mps have to walk through one of the two doors to indicate their vote

  tellers count the vote
• What happens in the committee stage?

  bill is examined clause by clause

  amendments are suggested

  done by a committee of 16-50 Mps from all parties (gov has majority)

  chosen for their interest or knowledge in the topic

  called a standing committee

  for finance bills the whole House sits as a committee
• What happens in the report stage?

  standing committee report back to the House any amendments

  their suggestions are debated in the House and then accepted or rejected

  further amendments can also be made here

  if no amendments, this stage can be missed out
• What happens in the third reading?

  is a final vote of the bill

  almost a formality

  no changes can be made

  the Bill is unlikely to fail
• What happens in the House of Lords?

  the bill will go through the same stages again, from 1st to 3rd readings

  if any amendmends are made to the bill it must go back to the Commons

  if rejected the bill can ping pong back and forth between the Houses

  HofL power is limited by the Parliament Acts 1911 and 1949 which allows a bill to become law even if rejected by Lords

  The bill is sent through the commons again and then misses out the HofL eg Hunting Act 2004
• What happens in the Royal Assent?

  monarch family approves the bill

  becomes an Act of Parliament

  Royal Assent is now a formality as a result due to the Royal Assent Act 1967

  Last refused by a monarch to approve a Bill was by Queen Anne in 1707 who refused the Scotish Militia Bill