Legislative Stages

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Legislative Stages

A bill is legislation that has been proposed. A bill becomes a law by going through several stages. These stages must happen in both chambers of parliament.

First reading

The first reading stage is the announcement that a particular bill has started the legislative process.
At the first reading stage, the bill becomes available to be viewed and scrutinised by everyone.

Second reading

At the second reading stage, there is a debate in the chamber over the bill and the members of the House of Lords or Commons decide if it should be accepted in principle.
The case in favour will be outlined by a government minister, and then a member of the opposition will respond alongside backbenchers, and there will be a debate.
Following a debate over the bill, a vote will take place and if successful then the bill will move forward. If the chamber votes against the bill, then it will be defeated.

Committee stage

A committee will consider the bill and examine it in detail.
The committee will decide whether to make changes to, or remove, any clause within the bill and consider amendments to the bill proposed by the government or members of the House of Lords and Commons.

Committee stage cont.

In the House of Commons, a standing committee reviews the bill, which is made up of members of Parliament from different parties, but most of the committee will be members of the party in government.
- The name of the standing committee which reviews bills is called a Public Bill Committee.
The committee stage in the House of Lords involves any members who wish to participate and will often happen in the main chamber of the House.

Report stage

The report stage involves the discussion of amendments that have been made in the committee stage, and takes place in the main chambers of the House of Commons and Lords with all members of each House.
The chamber will agree or reject the proposed amendments to the bill by voting and more amendments may be added.

Legislative Stages 2

A bill is legislation that has been proposed. A bill becomes a law by going through several stages. These stages must happen in both chambers of parliament.

Third reading

The third reading stage involves a discussion of the bill and what it is in it.
At the third reading stage, amendments are no longer made in the House of Commons.
In the House of Lords amendments can be made but only if the amendments have not been previously considered in the earlier stages of the legislative process.
After the discussion, the members of the chamber will vote on whether they approve the bill.

Amendments considered

After the third reading stage, the bill will return to the chamber where it began for the consideration of amendments. -The House of Lords and House of Commons will consider the amendments proposed by the other chamber which they will accept or disagree with.
A bill will go between both chambers until an agreement is reached over the wording of the bill.
If an agreement can not be reached between the House of Commons and House of Lords, then the bill will fail to become law.

Royal assent

A bill must be approved by the monarch for the bill to become a law, termed an Act of Parliament.
The agreement of the monarch gives royal assent to a bill, and is a formality (an action taken just to comply with convention or custom).