Cameron Miranda
The UK Parliament is responsible for passing legislation, which begins life as bills. A bill is a proposal for a new law or a change to an existing law. It can be introduced by the government, individual MPs or Lords, or private individuals or organisations. A bill can start in either the House of Commons or the House of Lords, and it must be approved in the same form by both Houses before becoming an Act (law). Once a bill has been debated and then approved by each House of Parliament and received Royal Assent, it becomes law and is known as an Act of Parliament.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| What is a bill? | A proposal for a new law or a proposal to change an existing law |
| Who can introduce a bill? | Any member of Parliament, ministers, private individuals or organisations |
| Types of bills | Public, private, hybrid |
| Where can a bill be introduced? | The House of Commons or the House of Lords |
| What is the first stage of a bill? | First reading, where the title of the bill is read out |
| What is the second stage of a bill? | Second reading, where the bill is debated and explained |
| What is the third stage of a bill? | Committee stage, where the bill is examined in detail and amendments are suggested |
| What is the fourth stage of a bill? | Report stage, where the bill is further debated and amendments are proposed |
| What is the fifth stage of a bill? | Third reading, the final opportunity to debate the bill |
| What is the next step after the five stages? | The two Houses resolve any differences between them |
| What is the final stage of a bill? | Royal Assent, where the bill receives official approval from the monarch |
What You'll Learn
The role of the House of Commons
The House of Commons is the most powerful of Parliament's two houses. It is the most important place for Members of Parliament (MPs) to discuss policies and make laws. The House of Commons is made up of MPs, who are elected by the public to represent local areas (or constituencies).
A bill can begin in the House of Commons or the House of Lords. However, most bills are introduced in the House of Commons. To start the process of becoming a law, bills must be formally introduced in what is known as the first reading. This involves reading the title of the bill in the House of Commons. Following this, the bill will be published for the first time.
The next stage is the second reading, which is the first opportunity for MPs to debate the main principles of the bill. The debate will be started by the Government minister, spokesperson, or MP responsible for the bill. The Opposition spokesperson will then respond with their views on the bill. This will continue the debate, with MPs able to give their views on the new bill and what they think might be missing. At the end of the debate, the Commons will vote on whether the bill should proceed to the next stage. If a bill passes the second reading, it will then go to the Committee stage.
The Committee stage involves a line-by-line examination of the bill. Most bills will be dealt with in a Public Bill Committee. The Committee can hear evidence from experts and interest groups from outside Parliament. The chair of the committee will decide what changes (sometimes called amendments) to the bill will be discussed. Every part (or clause) in the bill must be agreed to, changed, or removed during this stage. Some parts (clauses) will not be debated.
Once a bill has completed the committee stage, it goes through the report stage. At this point, the bill can be debated by the House of Commons, and any further changes can be proposed. If a bill is particularly complicated or long, this stage of debate could last for several days. All MPs can suggest any amendments or new parts that they think should be added.
After the report stage, the House of Commons has the final debate on the bill. This is known as the third reading and usually happens immediately after the report stage. This debate is usually shorter than the previous debates and is limited to the current content of the bill. Any amendments (or changes) cannot be made to a bill in the Commons at this stage. At the end of the debate, the House of Commons (made up of elected MPs) will vote on whether to approve the bill. If they do, the bill will then go to the House of Lords to be scrutinised and debated.
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The role of the House of Lords
The House of Lords is the second chamber of the UK Parliament. It is independent of the House of Commons, and its main role is to 'double-check' new laws to ensure they are fair and workable.
The House of Lords follows the same bill stages as the House of Commons, with a few key differences. Firstly, the Lords is self-regulating, so there is no limit on the time spent debating a bill. Secondly, during the committee stage, the bill is usually debated on the floor of the House, and all members can participate. Amendments are rare at this stage and typically occur during the report stage.
The third reading in the House of Lords is an opportunity to tidy up a bill, ensuring that the eventual law is effective and without loopholes. Amendments can be made at this stage if the issue has not been previously considered or voted on. These amendments usually clarify specific parts of the bill.
The House of Lords can have a powerful impact on bills from the House of Commons. In the last year, they voted against the government 129 times, leading to significant changes in some recent laws. For example, following campaigning from the RNIB, the House of Lords inserted a clause into the Elections Bill to protect the interests of disabled people.
If the House of Lords amends a bill, it will be sent back to the House of Commons for consideration. This process, known as 'ping pong', continues until both Houses agree on the exact wording of the bill. While the House of Lords can delay a bill it disagrees with for a year, it cannot permanently block it.
Once a bill has been approved by both Houses, it receives Royal Assent, the monarch's official approval, and becomes an Act of Parliament or law.
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The process of drafting a bill
Idea Generation and Submission
Firstly, ideas for new laws, or bills, can come from various sources, including political parties, campaign groups, and government departments. For instance, a government department proposing a new bill must submit a bid to the Parliamentary Business and Legislation (PBL) Committee of the Cabinet for inclusion in the legislative programme. The PBL Committee evaluates all submissions and makes recommendations to the Cabinet about the provisional content of the programme.
Drafting and Review
Once a bill is given a slot in the legislative programme, the responsible department forms a bill team, including a bill manager, policy officials, and legal advisers. Policy officials provide instructions to the departmental lawyers, who then instruct the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel (OPC) to draft the bill. The OPC analyses the instructions, seeks clarifications, and drafts the bill accordingly. This drafting process involves multiple iterations of reviewing and commenting on drafts by the OPC, departmental lawyers, and policy officials until a consensus is reached. The OPC provides specific drafting guidance, including writing clearly, using appropriate wording, and guidelines for amendments.
Pre-legislative Scrutiny and Consultation
In some cases, bills are published in draft form to enable consultation and pre-legislative scrutiny. This process involves a Parliamentary committee reviewing the bill, taking evidence, and making recommendations to the government. The committee's recommendations and public consultation responses may lead to modifications in the bill before its formal introduction.
Formal Introduction and Debate
After necessary revisions, the bill is formally introduced into either the House of Commons or the House of Lords, where it undergoes a first reading or a formal introduction. This is followed by a second reading, which is a general debate on the main principles of the bill, where government ministers, opposition, and other members discuss and suggest changes.
The drafting process ensures that the bill is thoroughly reviewed, debated, and amended before it progresses through the legislative stages in Parliament. The involvement of various stakeholders, from idea generation to scrutiny and consultation, helps shape the bill and ensure it reflects the needs and priorities of those it will affect.
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The King's Speech
The legislative programme is a plan of the bills that the government will ask Parliament to consider during the session. It is formulated by the Parliamentary Business and Legislation (PBL) Committee of the Cabinet, which reviews proposals from government departments and makes recommendations to the Cabinet. The Cabinet then finalises the programme, which is subsequently announced in the King's Speech.
Once a bill is introduced, it undergoes several stages of debate and scrutiny in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The two Houses collaborate to ensure that the bill is thoroughly examined and amended as necessary. This process includes discussions, amendments, and votes on the bill.
After passing through both Houses, a bill requires Royal Assent to become law. This is when the monarch formally agrees to the bill, giving it the force of law. At this point, the bill becomes an Act of Parliament and is published under the authority of the King's Printer.
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Royal Assent
Once Royal Assent has been given, an announcement is made in both Houses of Parliament. The legislation within the bill may come into effect immediately, after a set period, or only after a commencement order by a government minister.
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Frequently asked questions
A bill is a proposal for a new law or a proposal to change an existing law. Ideas for new laws can be suggested by different people, including political parties and campaign groups.
A bill is introduced by a First Reading, which is an official notice that a bill is going to be proposed and what it's about. Shortly afterwards comes the Second Reading, where the principles are considered on the floor of the House. The bill is then sent to small groups of MPs who examine the bill in detail.
The Third Reading is when the bill is debated and put to a vote. If the Government has a majority, the bill is then passed to the House of Lords. Once a bill has passed through both Houses, it is sent to the monarch for Royal Assent. Once it has Royal Assent, the bill becomes an Act of Parliament and is the law of the land.
