Parliamentary law making

Question 1

Types of Bill

Answer 1

• public
• private
• private members

Question 2

public bills

Answer 2

• legislation intended to affect the public as a whole
• usually proposed by gov. may be proposed by individual MP (Private Members Bills)

Question 3

public bill example

Answer 3

• Great British Energy Bill
• A bill to make provisions about Great British Energy
  (as of OCT 2024)

Question 4

private bills

Answer 4

• legislation intended to affect 1 particular area/org. usually proposed by local authority/company/coop affected

Question 5

Private Bill example

Answer 5

-Royal Albert Hall Bill
- Bill updates rules for Members’ payments, exclusions, and the sale of more seats, and exercise of certain rights at the Royal Albert Hall.
(as of oct 2024)

Question 6

Private member bills

Answer 6

public bills introduced by MPs and Lords who are not government ministers. working independently of gov.

Question 7

Private Member’s Bill example

Answer 7

• Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults Bill
• sponsored by Labour peer, Lord Falconer of Thoroton
  A Bill to allow adults who are terminally ill, subject to safeguards, to be assisted to end their own life; and for connected purposes
  (As of Oct 2024)

Question 8

Bills

Answer 8

draft a new Act of Parliament written by special lawyers known as parliamentary draftsmen

Question 9

Pre-legislative process

Answer 9

• Green Paper
• White paper

Question 10

Green paper

Answer 10

• initial consultation document to gain views on a proposed new law
• allows democratic involvement
• mat provide more chance of smooth passage through Parliament
• responses may be, but do not have to be acted on by gov.

Question 11

white paper

Answer 11

• document sets out gov’s preferred approach to a future piece of legislation
• limited opportunity for comment
• document sets out info.

Question 12

Legislative stages

Answer 12

• bill can either start in the house of commons or house of lords (except finance Bills, which must start in HOC ) and must be approved by both houses before becoming an Act of Parliament (law)
  first reading
• 2nd reading
• committee stage
• Report Stage
• 3rd reading
• process repeats in other house
• royal assent

Question 13

1st reading

Answer 13

• formality
• short title and main aims of Bill announced
• order for Bill to be Printed
• NO DEBATE

Question 14

2nd reading

Answer 14

• main debate on whole Bill takes place conducted via the Speaker
• Minister, MP, Lord responsible describe aim of Bill and fields questions
• focus on main principles rather than specific detail
• vote taken -> must be a majority for bill to progress further

Question 15

Committee Stage

Answer 15

• detailed examination 15-60 MPs
• done by standing committee (usually) or whole house in HOL
• membership roughly in proportion to # of seats each party has in HoC
• can make amendments

Question 16

Report Stage

Answer 16

• amendments reported back to house
• debate
• vote on whether to accept amendments
• no amendments Bill passes straight onto next stage

Question 17

Third Reading

Answer 17

• Final look at Bill as a whole w/ amendments
• final vote if to go further (generally formality unlikely to fail at this stage)

Question 18

other house

Answer 18

• the other house follows similar stages and can send it back for amendments to the House it originated
• sending to and fro can go on for some time referred to a ‘ping pong’
• continues until both houses agree (Parliamentary Act 1911 and 1949 make it that HOL can only delay passage of Bill for up to 1 yr & not prevent it -> only used 4 times)

Question 19

Royal Assent

Answer 19

• much of formality
• Monarch formally gives approval for Bill
• becomes an Act of Parliament and part of the law of the land