Unit 23 - Law - P7
An act of parliament creates a new law or changes an existing law. An act is a bill approved by both the House of Commons and the House of Lords and agreed to by the monarch who is in reign. Once implemented an act is law and applies to the UK as a whole or to specific areas of the country. A statute is a written law passed by a legislature on the state or federal level. Statutes set general propositions of law that courts apply to specific situations. A statute may forbid a certain act, direct a certain act, make a declaration, or set governmental mechanisms to aid society. A private members bill is a proposed law introduced by a member of a legislature who is not acting on behalf of the executive government whereas a government bill is introduced by an individual MP utilising one of three ways: ballot, the ten minute rule or presentation. The Passage of Bills through Parliament: * First Reading (usually in House of Commons) * Second Reading (in the same house) * Committee Stage * Report Stage * Third Reading * Same procedure in the House of Lords * Royal Assent (a formality)
The process of a bill is very long and can therefore take a long time for a law to be enforced. There are three 'readings ' of a Bill in its progress through each House. A Member 's request for leave to introduce a Bill appears on the Notice Paper on the next sitting day. On the day it is considered the Member concerned seeks leave which is usually agreed to without a discussion. The Member then presents to the House a copy of the Bill which is then read for the first time. After the first reading in the house the second reading may be moved immediately or be taken into consideration on a future day. The second reading is the most important stage of a bill as here the principals of the bill are either agreed or rejected. To then move forward for the second reading stage the Minister or private Member in charge of the Bill will rise and
The process of a bill is very long and can therefore take a long time for a law to be enforced. There are three 'readings ' of a Bill in its progress through each House. A Member 's request for leave to introduce a Bill appears on the Notice Paper on the next sitting day. On the day it is considered the Member concerned seeks leave which is usually agreed to without a discussion. The Member then presents to the House a copy of the Bill which is then read for the first time. After the first reading in the house the second reading may be moved immediately or be taken into consideration on a future day. The second reading is the most important stage of a bill as here the principals of the bill are either agreed or rejected. To then move forward for the second reading stage the Minister or private Member in charge of the Bill will rise and
Bibliography: http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/statute http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Private_member 's_bill http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100913044752AANUS1u Class Notes and Handouts.