How Does A Bill Become Law In The United Kingdom?

COULSONREADLEWIS www.coulsonreadlewissolicitors.co.uk HOW DOES A BILL BECOME LAW IN THE UNITED KINGDOM? The UK's legal system is a complicated one, but introducinga new law to the system isn't actually as complex as you might initially assume. So how does a bill become a law?What exactly is a bill? Find out with our infographic-bought to you by CoulsonReadLewis Solicitors. WHAT IS A BILL? A Bill is a proposal for a new law, or a proposal to change an existing law, presented for debate before parliament. A Bill can start in the Commons or the Lords and must be approved in the same form by both Houses before becoming an Act (law). INITIAL PROCESS FORA BILL A bill can be proposed in both the House Of Commons and the House Of Lords, but no matter where it starts, it must go through the following procedures in both houses before being sent for a Consideration Of Amendments and Royal Assent. Let's have a look at the passage of a Bill through Parliament and examine each stage of the process in detail. First Reading Second Reading Committee Stage %3D First reading is the first stage of a Bill's passage. It is usually a formality, taking place without debate. The Bill is read out and then printed Second reading is the first opportunity for MP's to debate the main principles of the bill. Once the debate is finished, it will be voted on before moving forward Committee stage is where detailed examination of the Bill takes place. Every clause in the Bill is agreed to, changed or removed from the Bill altogether Report Stage Third Reading Report stage gives MP's an opportunity to consider further amendments. The Bill will be examined in detail, with any changes to the Bill being reprinted and moved forward Third reading is the final chance for the contents of a Bill to be debated. No amendments can be made to a Bill at third reading. The reading ends with a final vote AMENDMENTS When a Bill has passed through third reading in both Houses it is returned to the first House (where it started) for the second House's amendments to be considered. Both Houses (House Of Lords and the House Of Commons) must agree on the exact wording of the Bill. If the Commons makes amendments to the Bill, the Lords must consider them and either agree or disagree to the amendments or make alternative proposals. If the Lords disagrees with any Commons amendments, or makes alternative proposals, then the Bill is sent back to the Commons. A Bill may go back and forth between each House (referred to as Ping Pong) until both houses reach an agreement. ROYALASSENT When a Bill has completed all its parliamentary stages in both Houses, it must have Royal Assent before it can become an Act of Parliament (law). Royal Assent is the Monarch's agreement to make the Bill into an Act and is a formality. There is no set time period between the consideration of amendments to the Bill and Royal Assent - it can even be a matter of minutes. After Royal Assent, the legislation within the Bill may commence immediately, after a set period or only after a commencement order by a Government minister. A commencement order is designed to bring into force the whole or part of an Act of Parliament at a date later than the date of the Royal Assent. Ifthere is no commencement order, the Act will come into force from midnight at the start of the day of the Royal Assent. Information taken from http://www.parliament.uk/ Designed on behalf of CoulsonReadLewis - http://www.coulsonreadlewis.co.uk/