Legislative Process

Question 1

What is a Bill?

Answer 1

Proposal for a new law, or a proposal to change an existing law

Question 2

What is a public bill?

Answer 2

Bills that have a general effect - make changes to the whole population

Question 3

What is a government bill?

Answer 3

Bills that are introduced by the government

Question 4

What is a private member bill?

Answer 4

Bills that are introduced by backbench MPs

Question 5

What are private bills?

Answer 5

Bills that make changes to the law that only apply to specific individuals or organisations

Question 6

What is a hybrid bill?

Answer 6

Bills that have a general effect, but some provisions single out particular individuals/groups e.g. High Speed Rail (West Midlands-Crewe) Bill 2017

Question 7

What are green papers?

Answer 7

Consultation documents that explain the specific issues the government would like to address along with various different courses of action

Question 7

What is the first stage required to go from a manifesto pledge to a bill?

Answer 7

Consultation process - where outside groups are invited to contribute as the government decides what to include in the bill

Question 8

What is a green paper?

Answer 8

A consultation document, that outlines the specific issues the government wants to tackle, and invites outside contributors to suggest ideas and courses of action on how to approach the piece of legislation

Question 9

What is a white paper?

Answer 9

A consultation document that already sets out the government’s plans on new legislation and only invites outside contributors to feedback on it

Question 10

What is the difference between a green paper and a white paper?

Answer 10

A green paper is for when the government only has a rough idea of what they want to do, whereas a white paper is for when the government knows what they want to do and only wants feedback

Question 11

Outline the 7 stages required for a bill to pass through parliament

Answer 11

1. First Reading
2. Second Reading
3. Committee Stage
4. Report Stage
5. Third Reading
6. Consideration of amendments
7. Royal Assent

Question 12

Outline what happens in the first reading

Answer 12

• Mostly a formality
• The title of the bill is read out followed by an order for it to be printed
• There isn’t any debate over the bill at this stage

Question 13

Outline what happens in the second reading

Answer 13

• The minister responsible for the Bill makes a statement supporting it - followed by comments from the relevant shadow minister
• MPs then debate the general principles of the Bill, rather than specific clauses, and then vote on whether the bill should progress
• The last government bill to be defeated at this early stage was the 1986 Shops Bill

Question 14

Outline what happens in the committee stage

Answer 14

• The bill is then sent to a Public Bill Committee (PBC) which are temporary - named after the bill they are scrutinising, and then disbanded when finished
• Any amendments made in the second reading stage are looked over
• The bill is then analysed line by line and changes can be made
• Major changes are rare as the governing party always has a majority in the committee, but small changes to wording are not uncommon
• Pressure groups and individual MPs are called to submit evidence, and address the committee before they begin scrutinising the bill
• Not all bills are scrutinised by a public bill committee - some bills are sent to the Committee of the Whole House, which takes place on the floor of the chamber allowing any interested MP to take part

Question 15

Give 3 reasons why Bills might be sent to the Committee of the Whole House

Answer 15

1. Major constitutional importance e.g. Wales Bill 2013/14 seeking to devlove greater power to Wales
2. Great urgency
3. So uncontroversial they have little opposition

Question 16

Outline the report stage

Answer 16

• Any changes made at the committee stage are discussed and voted on
• This is the last chance for Mps to propose further amendments

Question 17

Outline the third reading

Answer 17

• A short debate
• No further changes can be introduced at this stage
• It is unusual for bills to be defeated at this stage
• A final vote takes place before it goes for royal assent

Question 18

What is the difference between the committee stage in the House of Lords and House of Commons?

Answer 18

There are no PBCs - all lords can participate in the committee stage in either a Committee of the Whole House (meets in the chamber) or Grand Committee (meets away from the floor of the house

Question 19

Outline the consideration of amendments stage

Answer 19

• Both Houses have to agree on every word of the Bill
• If the Lords/Commons amend the bill it must be sent back to the original chamber
• The bill continues to move back and forth until the two houses agree in a process known as “ping pong”
• Usually the Lords will back down if the Commons insist on a certain wording, as it recognises its illegitimacy

Question 20

What does EVEL allow English and Welsh MPs to do?

Answer 20

Gives them two opportunities to veto all, or particular clauses of bills that only affect England, or England and Wales

Question 21

Outline the process for EVEL

Answer 21

1. The speaker decides if a bill contains clauses that concern either only England or only England and Wales
2. If this is the case a Legislative Grand Committee of only English MPs or only English and Welsh MPs must approve a consent motion before the bill can progress to its third reading
3. When the Commons consider any Lords amendments that only concern England or only England and Wales - the bill must secure a double majority meaning it must not only be approved by a majority of the whole House of Commons but also a majority of English/English and Welsh MPs

Question 22

What are the 3 ways that backbench MPs can submit their own bill?

Answer 22

1. Ballot Bill
2. 10 Minute Rule Bills
3. Presentation Bills

Question 23

How do Ballot Bills work?

Answer 23

• At the beginning of the Parliamentary year - all MPs who want to introduce a Private Members Bill (PMB) sign a name and enter their names for a ballot
• 20 Names are selected at random and the reverse order for which they are drawn determines their ranking of priority
• Only 13 Fridays in each session are reserved for PMB’s - the first 7 are usually used for second readings

Question 24

How do 10 Minute Rule Bills work?

Answer 24

• MPs enter their name into a weekly ballot and if successful - are able to make a speech of no more than 10 minutes outlining their proposed Bill after Question Time on Tuesdays and Wednesdays
• If the House agrees the Bill will then have its 1st reading
• Very few 10 minutes bills receive Royal Assent - many MPs view the process as more of a means to raise awareness of an issue - catching the attention of ministers and backbenchers who are still in the chamber after QT

Question 25

How do Presentation Bills work?

Answer 25

• Only really used to raise awareness on a particular issue as they stand very little chance of making it past the first stage
• Members introduce the title of their Bill, however are not allowed to speak about it
• While the Bill is formally introduced to Parliament - it stands little chance of progressing to the next stage unless the government takes an interest in it