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of Lords is composed of life peers and hereditary peers. The House of Common is composed of
Members of Parliament (MPs).
The idea for a new law can come from a variety of sources: bills may be introduced by any
member of either House (a "Private Member’s Bill"), a Minister of the Crown (a "Government Bill"),
by the general public ("Public Bills"), by an individual or small group of individuals (a "Private Bill").
First reading is the first stage of a Bill’s passage through the House of Commons - usually a
formality, it takes place without debate. The short title of the Bill is read out and then the Bill is
printed. The Bill is published as a House of Commons paper for the first time.
The next stage is second reading, the first opportunity for MPs to debate the general principles
and themes of the Bill.
Once second reading is completed the Bill proceeds to committee stage. Committee stage is
where detailed examination of the Bill takes place, clause by clause, determining the intent and impact
of the Bill’s language. This is therefore often considered the most important step in the parliamentary
process for researchers aiming to determine legislative intent. It is at this stage that amendments are
made. If the Bill has been amended the Bill is reprinted before its next stage.
Once committee stage is finished, the Bill returns to the floor of the House of Commons for its
report stage, where the amended Bill can be debated and further amendments proposed. All MPs can
suggest amendments to the Bill or new clauses (parts) they think should be added.
Report stage is normally followed immediately by debate on the Bill’s third reading.
Amendments (proposals for change) cannot be made to a Bill at the third reading in the Commons.
The process in the House of Lords is very similar to the process in the House of Commons. The
Bill will have the pro forma first reading, then the second reading. After the second reading the Bill
will normally be referred to a Committee of the Whole House. The Bill then passes through a
consideration stage and the third reading. In the House of Lords amendments may be made in the
Committee of the Whole House, the consideration stage, and the third reading (this is different from
the House of Commons where no amendments can be made in the third reading).
If the Bill is started in the Commons it goes to the House of Lords for its first reading. If the
Bill is started in the Lords it returns to the House of Lords for consideration of any amendments the
Commons has made. Both Houses must agree on the exact wording of the Bill. A Bill may go back
and forth between each House until both Houses reach agreement.
When a Bill has completed all its parliamentary stages in both Houses, it must have the Royal
Assent before it can become an Act of Parliament. The Royal Assent is the monarch’s agreement to
make the Bill into an Act and is a formality. When Royal Assent has been given to a Bill, the
announcement is usually made in both Houses by the Lord Speaker in the Lords and the Speaker in the
Commons.
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