One of Parliament's main roles is debating and passing laws.
Find out why new laws are made and how they are developed.
Draft Bills are Bills issued for consultation before being formally introduced to Parliament.
A Bill is a proposal for a new law, or a proposal to change an existing law that is presented for debate before Parliament.
How does a Bill become an Act? Find out the stages a Bill goes through before it becomes law.
An Act of Parliament creates a new law or changes an existing law.
Delegated or secondary legislation is usually concerned with detailed changes to the law made under powers from an existing Act of Parliament.
Although rarely used, the Parliament Acts provide a way of solving disagreement between the Commons and the Lords.
Living Heritage
Investigate the relationship between Parliament and the citizen and how dialogue, representation and protest have brought about progressive legislation and changes in society
We carry a full list of Bills before Parliament - with complete texts, amendments and all proceedings. You can follow the progress of legislation on this site by accessing our Bills and Legislation section.
This chapter looks at the important role of the House of Commons in agreeing the laws that affect everyone in the UK