Procedure of making an Act of Parliament

Question 1

List the stages of passing an Act

Answer 1

First Reading
Second Reading
Committee stage
Report Stage
Third Reading
Opposite Reading
Royal Assent

Question 2

What happens during the First Reading

Answer 2

Formal procedure where the names and main aims of the Bill are read out
Usually, no discussions or vote

Question 3

What happens during the Second Reading

Answer 3

-Main debate on the hole Bill in which MP’s debate the principles behind the bill
-Debate usually focuses on the main principles rather than smaller details
-At the end of the debate there will be a vote where there must be a majority in favour of the Bill for it to progress

Question 4

What happens during the Committee Stage

Answer 4

-Thoroughly examine every clause of the bill
-Members can propose amendments or additions, and these will be voted on by the committee

Question 5

What happens during the Report Stage

Answer 5

-The committee reports back to the House on amendments or additions accepted by them
-If there are no amendments, there will be no rapport stage
-Amendments will be debated in the House and accepted or rejected

Question 6

What happens during the Third Reading

Answer 6

-Final vote on the Bill
-Formality as Bill is unlikely to fail at this stage
-The Bill will then be passed to the House of Lords for further debate and consideration

Question 7

What happens during the Opposite Reading

Answer 7

-First reading
-Second reading
-Committee stage
-Report stage
-Third reading
-Bill is passed to House of Commons for final considerations

Question 8

What year did the House of Lords loose the power to reject a Bill

Answer 8

1949

Question 9

When was the last time a monarch refused a Bill

Answer 9

1707

Question 10

What is the difference between green paper and white paper

Answer 10

Green paper-draft of new law or amendments of already existing new law
White paper-the firm law

Question 11

What are advantages of the legislative process

Answer 11

• Law is made by elected representatives making it democratic
• Before a Bill is presented to parliament there will be stages of consultation allowing the government to take into consideration objections and further suggestions
• As the Bill must go through a discussion process in both Houses of Parliament, any new law would have been thoroughly discussed and scrutinised
• Since Parliament is sovereign the law passed is the highest form of law and cannot be questioned
• A government minister introducing law into Parliament will have the full knowledge, support, and expertise of their department in the proposal
• In times of emergency, law can be introduced, debated, and enacted quickly

Question 12

What are disadvantages of the legislative process

Answer 12

• Undemocratic as the House of Lords is unelected, approval of the crown is undemocratic, and MP’s might vote in favour of their party rather than their constituents
• Government and Parliament do not always have the time or inclination to deal with all reforms that are proposed
• The process of a Bill becoming, and Act can take several months
• Because Parliament is sovereign it is difficult to remove or amend a badly drawn or outdated piece of legislation
• 92 Law Lords are hereditary
• Influences on parliament – media