Parliamentary Law Making and Law Reform: The Legislative Process

Question 1

What is the first stage of the legislative process?

Answer 1

The Pre-legislative stage

Question 2

What are the different types of bills?

Answer 2

Private bill
Public bill
Private-members bill

Question 3

What is a private bill?

Answer 3

Affects individuals or small groups, not the whole country

Question 4

What is a public bill?

Answer 4

Affects whole population

Question 5

What is a private-members bill?

Answer 5

Back-bench MPs can make suggestions for what laws should go through Parliament
Sydney Silverman abolished the death penalty

Question 6

What is The Whitehall Stage?

Answer 6

Green paer
White Paper

Question 7

What is the Green Paper?

Answer 7

Consultation paper stating government opinion and suggested new ideas for law where interested parties are invited to make comments

Question 8

What is the White Paper?

Answer 8

A document stating the government’s firm proposal
No comments allowed on white paper

Question 9

What is the second stage of the Legislation process?

Answer 9

The first reading

Question 10

What happens in the first reading?

Answer 10

Title of the bill is read out, only a formality
No discussion
Set out the date for the next reading

Question 11

What is the third stage of the legislative process?

Answer 11

Main debate happens
Minister in charge of the bill explains the main aims and objectives
End of debate, vote takes place

Question 12

What is the fourth stage of the stage?

Answer 12

Committee stage

Question 13

What happens in the committee stage?

Answer 13

Bill is scrutinised by a group of MPs
The majority represents the party in government
Go through each clause and make amendments where necessary

Question 14

What is the fifth stage of the legislative process?

Answer 14

Report stage

Question 15

What happens in the report stage?

Answer 15

The committe reports back to the House with their proposals for changes to the bill
Each change is debated and voted on

Question 16

What is the sixth stage of the legislative process?

Answer 16

Third reading

Question 17

What happens in the third reading?

Answer 17

The final reading of the bill
Bill is put before the House for a final vote
No changes can be made except from SPAG

Question 18

What is the seventh stage of the legislative process?

Answer 18

Repeat process

Question 19

What happens in the repeat process?

Answer 19

Bill passes through same stages in the other House and repeats the process
Any changes made must be sent back to the other HoP, may result in the ping-pong effect

Question 20

In the repeat process, what is the HoL’s power limited by?

Answer 20

The Parliament Act 1911 & 1949

Question 21

What is the eight stage of the legislative process?

Answer 21

Royal Assent

Question 22

What is the royal assent?

Answer 22

The monarch’s approval of the bill
Monarch only receives the short title of the bill
Once signed by the Monarch, the Bill becomes an Act of Parliament and a new law is created