Parlimentary Law Making Flashcards
- A Green Paper is…
A Green Paper is issed by the relevant government minister it is a consultative document which holds the governments views and opinions for new law reform, to be put before Parliament. Interested parties are invited to send comments.
- The Government may then publish a…
The Government may then publish a White Paper with its firm proposals for a New Law to be put before Parliament, or it will just go ahead with draft legislation.
- The Bill will usually have to be passed by both Houses…
The Bill will usually have to be passed by both Houses of Parliament. A Bill is usually introduced in the House of Commons, but may start in either House, with the exception of Finance Bills which must start in the House of Commons.
- If a Bill starts in the House of Commons, the First Stage is…
If a Bill starts in the House of Commons, the first stage is the First Reading which is a formal procedure where the name and main aims of the Bill are read out, usually with no discussion or vote
- The Second Reading is where MPs have the…
The Second Reading is where MPs have the main debate about the principles of the Bill. At the end of the debate a vote is taken, and there must be a majority in favour of the Bill if it is to progress to the next stage.
- The Committee Stage is where a detailed examination of…
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The Committee Stage is where a detailed examination of each clause of the Bill is undertaken by a Public Bill Committee of 15 to 60 MPs, with political parties being represented in proportion to the number of MPs they have in the House of Commons.
Members of these committees will be chosen based on expertise or interest in a particular field. For Finance Bills, the whole House will sit in committee. At this stage, any proposed amendments are voted on and may be passed.
- The Report Stage is where the committee report back to the House on any…
The Report Stage is where the committee report back to the House on any amendments passed. The amendments are debated and voted upon, and further amendments may be added after a debate and vote.
- The Third Reading is the final…
The Third Reading is the final vote on the Bill, and is usually a formality. There will only be a further debate if at least six MPs request one.
- If the Bill started in the House of Commons, it is passed to the House of Lords where it goes through…
If the Bill started in the House of Commons, it is passed to the House of Lords where it goes through the same five stages as in the House of Commons. If the House of Lords suggests amendments to the Bill, it will go back to the House of Commons, and this “ping pong” will continue until the Bill is agreed by both Houses.
- The House of Lords can reject the Bill. However, this power is limited by the Parliament Acts 1911 and 1949. These allow a Bill to…
The House of Lords can reject the Bill. However, this power is limited by the Parliament Acts 1911 and 1949. These allow a Bill to become law up to a year after the House of Lords reject it, as the Lords can be by-passed by the Commons. This power has only been used four times, firstly with the War Crimes Act 1991 which enabled people to be prosecuted for war crimes in Nazi Germany who are now British citizens, and most recently with the Hunting Act 2004 which banned fox hunting.
- The Final stage is Royal Assent where the monarch formally gives…
The Final stage is Royal Assent where the monarch formally gives approval to the Bill and it becomes an Act of Parliament. The monarch does not actually sign it. Royal Assent is a formality, having not been refused since Queen Anne rejected the Scottish Militia Bill in 1707.
