Taking a Government Bill Through Parliament

PRIMARY LEGISLATION Public – Government Bills Public – Private Members’ Bills Ballot Bills 10 Minute Rule Bills Presentation Bills SECONDARY LEGISLATION Statutory Instruments (SIs) Affirmative Negative

Bill Team Manager Bill Team Leader (SCS) Policy lead OGD’s Policy lead Lawyer(s ) Administration Parliamentary Counsel Formation of a Bill Team

Role of the Bill Team: Pre-Introduction FORMULATION. CONSULTATION: Green Paper White Paper Pre-legislative scrutiny Draft Bill…. Discussions Road Shows Correspondence Written and Oral evidence Government response

Clause Stand Part briefing. Preparation Role of the Bill Team: Pre-Introduction preparation Press Briefing material. : Queen’s Consent: “Affect the hereditary revenues personal property or interests of the Crown, the Duchy of Lancaster or Duchy of Cornwall” : Money Resolution: expenditure for new purposes : Ways and Means Resolution: imposing a new charge

1. The draft Bill 2. Explanatory Notes 3. Impact Assessment 4. ECHR statement 5. Impact on Devolved Administrations 6. Handling strategy 7. Memorandum & briefing Prior to Introduction: L Committee documents.

Prior to Introduction L Committee agree Bill is complete agree Bill is complete agree Bill is ready for Introduction agree Bill is ready for Introduction agree date for Introduction agree date for Introduction agree House of Introduction agree House of Introduction

L MEMBERSHIP Leader of the Commons (Chair) Secretary of State for Justice & Lord Chancellor Secretary of State for Scotland Secretary of State for Wales Commons Chief Whip Minister for the Cabinet Office& Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Leader of the House of Lords Chief Secretary Lords Chief Whip Attorney General Advocate General for Scotland Minister of State, DBERR Deputy Leader of the Commons Deputy Chief Whip S/S Northern Ireland and Wales S/S Scotland Home Secretary Minister for the Cabinet Office Minister without Portfolio Deputy Chief Whip

THE PASSAGE OF A BILL THROUGH PARLIAMENT HOUSE OF COMMONS First Reading Second Reading (may last less than or more than a full day) Programme Motion Committee Stage (usually a Public Bill Committee which now have similar powers to those of Select Committees) Report Stage Third Reading

The House of Commons

House of Commons - Second Reading passing them to the Minister who will close the debate. The Minister will open the debate with a prepared speech. Civil Servants will be in the Officials Gallery throughout the debate: listening to contributions from members, preparing responses, clearing them with the lawyer, Points raised during the debate will highlight areas of concern likely to surface at Committee.

House of Commons – Committee Stage Oral Evidence: “Committees should hold at least one evidence session with Ministers and officials.” Written Evidence: “Committees will decide whether it formally accepts any written material submitted as “evidence”, and how it will be reported to the House.

Members Entrance Officials Chairman Clerk Hansard Public Entrance X X X XxXx xx GovernmentOpposition

Committee Stage Government amendment. Resist. Accept in Principle. Consider. Accept. DECISIONS ON AMENDMENTS

Report Stage Speaker’s criteria in selecting amendments; all Government amendments; all involving some undertaking by the Government; new “compromises” or “halfway” proposals; important issues “carefully debated” in Committee worthy of a “last look”; new matters brought in by members of the Committee; new developments since Committee.

THE PASSAGE OF A BILL THROUGH PARLIAMENT HOUSE OF LORDS First Reading Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform Committee Constitution Committee Second Reading Committee Stage (on the Floor of the House or Grand Committee) Report Stage Third Reading Commons consideration of Lords’ Amendments Royal Assent (ACT OF PARLIAMENT)

The House of Lords

The role of the Bill Team Record Keeping: detailed note of important decisions made: eg policy decisions, acceptance of changes etc Commencement: ensure that provisions of the Bill are actually brought into effect!

An Act of Parliament

First Act of Parliament kept at Westminster It concerns the taking of apprentices to make worsted (woollen yarn) in Norfolk.