Legislation

Question 1

What is a legislative bill?

Answer 1

A proposed law passing through parliament

Question 2

How does a legislative bill become an Act of Parliament?

Answer 2

It must be passed through parliament and then signed into law by the monarch

Question 3

What three different types can legislative bills be broken down into?

Answer 3

• Private bills
• Private members’ bills
• Public bills

Question 4

What is the most common type of legislative bill?

Answer 4

Public bill

Question 5

Explain how private bills work

Answer 5

If an organisation (e.g. a church) wishes to take action that the law currently prevents it from doing, it can apply for a private bill to change this. Normally considered by committees of either house rather than both houses as a whole. Members of the public or interested parties can provide evidence or present petitions at these committees

Question 6

What kind of things do private bills usually concern?

Answer 6

Private interests, like the construction of roads, building of bridges or purchase of land

Question 7

Who presents private members bills?

Answer 7

Individual or groups of MPs and peers

Question 8

Explain how private members’ bills work

Answer 8

At the start of the year, members who wish to present such a bill will enter their names into a ballot. 20 names are drawn but because backbench business gets so little time only the first 7 bills are usually introduced. MPs and peers know the bill is unlikely to succeed but use them to bring attention to the government.

Question 9

What is the only way that a private members’ bill can be realistically passed?

Answer 9

If the bill raises enough attention from ministers or is desirable enough to receive government support

Question 10

What three things make private members’ bills extremely difficult to pass?

Answer 10

• They are unlikely to receive government support
• They are unlikely to attract enough MPs for a debate and vote
• Because during the second reading of the bill, any MP can block it by shouting oppose. Even if the bill is then re-introduced on a Friday Private Members’ Bill Session, it can be blocked the exact same way

Question 11

Give an example of a bill with government support being thwarted by an MP shouting oppose?

Answer 11

Christopher Chope did this in 2018 to a bill that would have banned upskirting

Question 12

Explain how public bills work

Answer 12

They are presented by the government and are expected to be passed without too much obstruction. They are normally preceded by a white paper a year before they are proposed. Any issues will be identified at this stage and if their are serious issues the bill may be dropped. Assuming this goes well, they follow the normal legislative process

Question 13

What is a white paper?

Answer 13

A document outlining the terms and intentions of a public bill. Presented to parliament up to a year before the bill is passed. Parliament debates, votes and identifies problems at the white paper stage so they can be passed without serious obstruction

Question 14

Describe the procedure through which private members’ and public bills are passed

Answer 14

There is a first reading, second reading, committee stage, report stage, and third reading in the lords and commons. There will then be a consideration of amendments before the bill is given royal assent

Question 15

Describe the first reading

Answer 15

A bill will enter the legislative process and be introduced to parliament without debate and discussion

Question 16

Describe the second reading

Answer 16

The proposer of the bill must present more details and be open to questions and debate about the nature and content of the bill.

Question 17

How rare is it that a public bill will be defeated at a second reading?

Answer 17

It has only happened twice since 1945

Question 18

Explain the committee stage

Answer 18

After the bill passes the second reading, it will go the the public bill committee stage made up of between 16 and 50 MPs. These MPs debate and consider all clauses of the bill and suggest amendments to make the meaning clearer. Finance and major constitutional reform bills are debated by the whole house as they are seen as too important to be delegated

Question 19

How do public bill committees work?

Answer 19

They are made up in line with party strength in the commons, with members chosen and instructed on what to do by the whips. This is where the fine detail and meaning of the law are written and so it is closely controlled by the government

Question 20

Describe the report stage

Answer 20

The whole of the commons will vote on the proposed amendments by the public bills committee, which may be accepted, rejected or altered. Other MPs can introduce proposed amendments here. Once each amendment has been considered and voted upon, the final text of the bill is ready for final approval

Question 21

Describe the third reading

Answer 21

The final version of the bill is presented and debated in the commons, followed by a vote of the whole chamber. If successful, it will go to the lords; if unsuccessful, it will return to the committee stage or be dropped completely

Question 22

Describe the lords stage

Answer 22

The bill will progress through the lords in the same way it did through the commons, with amendments often considered by the whole house rather than just committees. Amendments are suggested by the lords and these can be accepted or rejected by the commons during a period of ‘parliamentary ping pong’. Once all variations have been resolved, the lords will vote on and usually support the bill

Question 23

Describe the royal assent stage

Answer 23

Once both chambers have passed to the bill, it is sent to the monarch , who gives it royal assent by signing it into the law. The law will become an official Act of Parliament. The last time the monarch refused to grant royal assent was Queen Anne in 1708