the legislative process Flashcards
what are the types of bills?
- private bill
- private members bill
- public bill
what is a private bill?
when local authorities want to take acton I their area but the law forbids it, often apply for private bills. debated by specific select committees in both houses, not the whole house
what is a private members bill?
introduced by a backbench mp. often ignored, require a certain number of MPs to turn up and debate the bill and can be easily opposed by a MP shouting ‘oppose’
what is public bill?
presented by the government as a white paper summarising the proposal. at this stage a debate is held which identifies potential problems and concerns
what are the stages of a bill?
first reading
second reading
committee stage
report stage
third reading
(repeat in lords)
royal assent
what is a white paper?
government proposed bill
what is a green paper?
proposed consultation documents
what is the first reading?
formal introduction of bill into the chamber - no date/vote
what is the second reading?
more details are presented and debated and scrutinised by the house its presented in
what is the committee stage?
public bill committees of around 18 MPs scrutinise and debate the bill ‘line by line’
what does the composition of public bill committees look like?
mirror the party strength in the commons
what is the report stage?
PBC reports back to house and house votes on proposed amendments
what is the third reading?
final version of bill is presented and debated by commons and is voted on. if pass the vote, bill gos through the lords, it it fails it may return to the committee stage or be dropped
what is royal assent?
monarch signs all bills into law making it an act of parliament
when was the salisbury convention weakened?
2010-2015 - coalition so unclear who’s manifesto applies
2015-2017 - Lib Dem peers suspended convention as gov was elected on small popular vote
2017-2019 - minority gov meaning convention didn’t apply again
