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The stages which a law has to pass before became a statute.

 

The laws passed by Parliament are called Acts of Parliament or Statutes. Before a law becomes a statute it has to pass through a number of stages of debate and discussion in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords.

1. Introduction and first reading

First the law is presented to the House of Commons. At this stage it is called a Bill. All that happens at the first reading is that MPs are informed about the proposed legislation, and a date is given for the next stage. The Bill is then printed.

2. SECOND READING

The Bill is discussed or debated in the House of Commons and a vote is taken as to whether it is in principle a law of which MPs approve, or whether it should go no further. In this debate front-bench Government Ministers and their Opposition counterparts, who occupy the front benches of the debating chamber, will make the opening and closing speeches. The rest of the debate will be given over to the backbench MPs, who occupy the remaining benches.

3. COMMITTEE STAGE

The Bill is now examined line by line, or 'clause by clause', in great detail by a small committee of MPs. These MPs may be chosen to serve on the committee because they have a special interest and experience in the subject. At this stage the committee may agree to receive representations and suggestions for and against the proposed new law from anyone who is likely to be particularly affected by it. It may also hear evidence and take the advice of experts. Alterations to the Bill known as amendments, made at the Committee stage, will be passed if a majority of the committee members vote for them.

4. REPORT STAGE

A report is made to the House of Commons on what has happened at the Committee stage, and all MPs are given the chance to discuss the changes that have been made by the committee. Even at this time it is possible to make amendments to a Bill, and experience shows that this often happens.

5. Third reading

At this stage little is done. It is a final debate, frequently held immediately after the Report stage. A vote is taken on whether the Bill, as amended in the Committee and Report stages, should proceed or not. If the vote is for proceeding, the Bill is officially passed from the House of Commons on to the House of Lords.

6. THE HOUSE OF LORDS

The House of Lords then considers the Bill in much the same way as the House of Commons. Once again the Bill goes through a number of stages, but this time it is carefully examined by members of the House of Lords. They too may make amendments to the Bill. If this happens, the Bill is sent back to the House of Commons for further consideration.

7. THE ROYAL ASSENT

After a Bill has passed through all its stages in Parliament, it is sent to the monarch. It does not become law until the Queen has agreed to it. When the Queen has signed a Bill it is sent back to the House of Lords, where in an ancient ceremony the Clerk of the Parliaments pronounces the Norman-French words which signify that she has given her assent: 'La Reine le veult—The Queen wishes it'.

 


Date: 2016-04-22; view: 895


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