Legislative process

All Standard Notes
22 Documents
DateDescription
17.08.2011Pre-legislative scrutiny under the Coalition Government
This Standard Note takes as its starting point the formation of the Coalition Government in May 2010 and reviews the commitments given on pre-legislative scrutiny by the new Government.
08.08.2011Proposals for debating petitions and for a public reading stage for bills
The Select Committee on the Reform of the House of Commons (the Wright Committee) was asked to consider how the public could initiate debates and proceedings in the House. It made recommendations on both involving the public in the legislative process and changing the House of Commons petitions system. The Conservative Party proposed the introduction of a 'public reading' stage at its Conference in September 2009; and, in its 2010 General election manifesto, it outlined plans for giving the general public opportunities to initiate parliamentary proceedings. The Coalition Agreement set out commitments on ensuring that petitions securing 100,000 signatures would be eligible for debate in the House of Commons; allowing members of the public to table a bill linked to the petition with most signatures; and introducing a public reading stage for Government bills, which would allow the public to comment on proposed legislation online. This note reviews these commitments and the progress that has been made.
18.07.2011PIL: Bills whose Commons committee stage has been taken in Committee of the Whole House
This PIL lists Bills whose Commons committee stage has been taken in Committee of the Whole House
24.02.2011PIL: Free Votes
27.10.2010PIL: Government Defeats in the House of Lords
22.07.2010PIL: Bills Gaining Royal Assent by Session
22.07.2010PIL: Number of House of Commons Divisions
17.06.2010Reform of the House of Commons: The establishment of a Backbench Business Committee
This note briefly sets out the way in which the business of the House of Commons is currently decided. It summarises the proposals on the scheduling of business from the Select Committee on Reform of the House of Commons and the decisions made by the House on 4 March 2010. It considers the March 2010 report of Reform Committee and their proposed changes to Standing Orders, along with the Government's own proposals.
25.03.2010Wash-up
This note provides a brief outline of the procedures followed at the end of Parliament to ensure the enactment of some of the legislation that has not completed its passage through Parliament when a general election is called. The note also gives details of the time available for wash-up following the announcement of general elections since 1983.
05.02.2010Terrorist Asset Freezing (Temporary Provisions) Bill
On 27 January 2010 the Supreme Court announced that it had upheld the appeal in the case of HM Treasury v Ahmed and Others, which concerned the UK's implementation of United Nations obligations to freeze the assets of terrorists by way of two Orders in Council made under section 1 of the United Nations Act 1946. The Court quashed the Terrorism (United Nations Measures) Order 2006 and provisions in the Al-Qaida and Taliban (United Nations Measures) Order 2006. The Government announced its intention to introduce primary legislation to re-instate the asset-freezing regime.
22.01.2010Post-Legislative Scrutiny
This note provides a brief examination of the major reports into post-legislative scrutiny in the United Kingdom since 2004. It describes the main recommendations from the reports by the Constitution Committee and Law Commission and the Government's response to each.
19.01.2010PIL: Hybrid Bills Receiving Royal Assent since 1979
22.12.2009Fast-track legislation
The Constitution Committee of the House of Lords undertook an inquiry into fast-track legislation in the 2008-09 Session. This note looks at the issues surrounding fast-track legislation identified by the Committee and the Committee's reccomendations for improving the process. The note also records the Government's response to the report.
21.12.2009Modernisation: carry-over of public bills
After briefly summarising the Modernisation Committee's views on the carrying over of public bills, this note describes the different approaches to allowing bills to be carried forward in this way in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The note also provides examples of the form of words used in carry-over motions.
26.10.2009PIL: Labour Backbench Rebellions since 1997
26.06.2008Deferred divisions
This note discusses the procedure and history of deferred divisions.
19.05.2008Modernisation: Programming of legislation
This note describes these developments and the background to them in more detail. It then describes earlier proposals for the timetabling of legislation. Finally, it reviews some recent comments on the programming of legislation.
17.01.2008The Disqualification from Parliament (Taxation Status) Bill
This Private Member's Bill is due to have a second reading on Friday 25 January 2008. It introduces a new disqualification procedure for members of both Houses relating to grounds related to residence and domicile for tax purposes.
04.06.2007The Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2006/07: Progress of the Bill
This Note updates Research Paper 07/18 The Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill, which was published on 21 February. Since then, this Bill has finished its Commons stages.
13.03.2007Commons divisions on House of Lords Reform: March 2007
02.02.2006Commons Divisions on the Racial and Religious Hatred Bill
22.09.2004Commons Divisions on Hunting: Members' voting records
Commons Divisions on Hunting: Members' voting records. By Ross Young and Edmund Tetteh. SN/SG/3188.
All Research Papers
3 Documents
DateDescription
11.02.2011Wash-up 2010
The wash-up period at the end of a Parliament allows a Government to get onto the statute book essential or non-controversial legislation that would not otherwise complete its passage through Parliament because of Dissolution. This paper describes the wash-up process; reviews the proceedings on wash-up in 2010; and provides details of Bills that received Royal Assent in each of the last six wash-up periods.
31.03.2003Parliamentary Questions Debate Contributions and Participation in Commons Divisions
Parliamentary questions; Debate contributions and participation in Commons divisions: statistics for session 2001/02. House of Commons Research Paper 03/32.
14.03.2001Regulatory Reform Bill (HL):order-making power and parliamentary aspects (Bill 51 of 2000-01)
Regulatory Reform Bill (HL):order-making power and parliamentary aspects. (Bill 51 of 2000/01). House of Commons Library Research Paper 01/27.
All Select Committee Reports
6 Select Committee Reports
DateDescription
24.10.2011Orders laid under clauses 7(2) and 9 of the Localism Bill.
Procedure Select Committee (HL) report [Lords]
02.02.2011Constitution Select Committee (HL) tenth report on Money Bills and Commons Financial Privilege.
Constitution Select Committee (HL) report [Lords]
27.07.2010Law Commission Bills.
Procedure Select Committee (HL) report [Lords]
24.02.2010Explanatory statements on amendments to bills.
Procedure Select Committee report [Commons]
09.12.2009Scrutinising statutory instruments: departmental returns, 2008.
Government response. Leader of the House of Commons; Statutory Instruments Joint Select Committee report [Commons and Lords]
25.03.2009Interleaving of Bills and explanatory notes.
Procedure Select Committee report [Commons]