Passage of a Bill - UK Parliament

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works</a></li><li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120111190546/http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/laws/">Making laws</a></li><li>Passage of a Bill</li></ul> </div> </div> </div> <div id="secondary-navigation"> <ul><li class="grand-parent"><a href="/web/20120111190546/http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/">How Parliament works</a><ul><li class="grand-parent"><a href="/web/20120111190546/http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/laws/">Making laws</a><ul><li class="parent"><a href="/web/20120111190546/http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/laws/passage-bill/">Passage of a Bill</a><ul><li><a href="/web/20120111190546/http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/laws/passage-bill/commons/coms-commons-first-reading/">Bill starting in the House of Commons</a></li><li><a href="/web/20120111190546/http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/laws/passage-bill/lords/lrds-lords-first-reading/">Bill starting in the House of Lords</a></li></ul></li></ul></li></ul></li></ul> </div> <div id="content" class="three-column header-above-hero"> <a name="skipToContent"></a> <h1 id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_ctlHeadingH1_h1Item"> Passage of a Bill </h1> <div id="passage-of-a-bill"> <div class="house"> <h2><strong>Bill starting in the House of Commons</strong></h2> <ul> <li class="commons"> <span>House of Commons</span> <ol> <li id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageHero_ctlPoBNavigationListing_rpPoB_ctl00_ctrlPassageOfABillNavigation_ctrlPoabPageListing1_repLinks_ctl01_liListItem"> <span>1</span> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageHero_ctlPoBNavigationListing_rpPoB_ctl00_ctrlPassageOfABillNavigation_ctrlPoabPageListing1_repLinks_ctl01_hypLink" class="commons-1" href="/web/20120111190546/http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/laws/passage-bill/commons/coms-commons-first-reading/">First reading (Commons)</a> </li> <li id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageHero_ctlPoBNavigationListing_rpPoB_ctl00_ctrlPassageOfABillNavigation_ctrlPoabPageListing1_repLinks_ctl02_liListItem"> <span>2</span> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageHero_ctlPoBNavigationListing_rpPoB_ctl00_ctrlPassageOfABillNavigation_ctrlPoabPageListing1_repLinks_ctl02_hypLink" class="commons-2" href="/web/20120111190546/http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/laws/passage-bill/commons/coms-commons-second-reading/">Second reading (Commons)</a> </li> <li id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageHero_ctlPoBNavigationListing_rpPoB_ctl00_ctrlPassageOfABillNavigation_ctrlPoabPageListing1_repLinks_ctl03_liListItem"> <span>c</span> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageHero_ctlPoBNavigationListing_rpPoB_ctl00_ctrlPassageOfABillNavigation_ctrlPoabPageListing1_repLinks_ctl03_hypLink" class="commons-c" href="/web/20120111190546/http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/laws/passage-bill/commons/coms-commons-comittee-stage/">Committee stage (Commons)</a> </li> <li id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageHero_ctlPoBNavigationListing_rpPoB_ctl00_ctrlPassageOfABillNavigation_ctrlPoabPageListing1_repLinks_ctl04_liListItem"> <span>r</span> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageHero_ctlPoBNavigationListing_rpPoB_ctl00_ctrlPassageOfABillNavigation_ctrlPoabPageListing1_repLinks_ctl04_hypLink" class="commons-r" href="/web/20120111190546/http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/laws/passage-bill/commons/coms-commons-report-stage/">Report stage (Commons)</a> </li> <li id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageHero_ctlPoBNavigationListing_rpPoB_ctl00_ctrlPassageOfABillNavigation_ctrlPoabPageListing1_repLinks_ctl05_liListItem"> <span>3</span> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageHero_ctlPoBNavigationListing_rpPoB_ctl00_ctrlPassageOfABillNavigation_ctrlPoabPageListing1_repLinks_ctl05_hypLink" class="commons-3" href="/web/20120111190546/http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/laws/passage-bill/commons/coms-commons-third-reading/">Third reading (Commons)</a> </li> </ol> </li> <li class="lords"> <span>House of Lords</span> <ol> <li id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageHero_ctlPoBNavigationListing_rpPoB_ctl00_ctrlPassageOfABillNavigation_ctrlPoabPageListing2_repLinks_ctl01_liListItem"> <span>1</span> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageHero_ctlPoBNavigationListing_rpPoB_ctl00_ctrlPassageOfABillNavigation_ctrlPoabPageListing2_repLinks_ctl01_hypLink" class="lords-1" href="/web/20120111190546/http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/laws/passage-bill/commons/coms-lords-first-reading/">First reading (Lords)</a> </li> <li id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageHero_ctlPoBNavigationListing_rpPoB_ctl00_ctrlPassageOfABillNavigation_ctrlPoabPageListing2_repLinks_ctl02_liListItem"> <span>2</span> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageHero_ctlPoBNavigationListing_rpPoB_ctl00_ctrlPassageOfABillNavigation_ctrlPoabPageListing2_repLinks_ctl02_hypLink" class="lords-2" href="/web/20120111190546/http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/laws/passage-bill/commons/coms-lords-second-reading/">Second reading (Lords)</a> </li> <li id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageHero_ctlPoBNavigationListing_rpPoB_ctl00_ctrlPassageOfABillNavigation_ctrlPoabPageListing2_repLinks_ctl03_liListItem"> <span>c</span> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageHero_ctlPoBNavigationListing_rpPoB_ctl00_ctrlPassageOfABillNavigation_ctrlPoabPageListing2_repLinks_ctl03_hypLink" class="lords-c" href="/web/20120111190546/http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/laws/passage-bill/commons/coms-lords-committee-stage/">Committee stage (Lords)</a> </li> <li id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageHero_ctlPoBNavigationListing_rpPoB_ctl00_ctrlPassageOfABillNavigation_ctrlPoabPageListing2_repLinks_ctl04_liListItem"> <span>r</span> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageHero_ctlPoBNavigationListing_rpPoB_ctl00_ctrlPassageOfABillNavigation_ctrlPoabPageListing2_repLinks_ctl04_hypLink" class="lords-r" href="/web/20120111190546/http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/laws/passage-bill/commons/coms-lords-report-stage/">Report stage (Lords)</a> </li> <li id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageHero_ctlPoBNavigationListing_rpPoB_ctl00_ctrlPassageOfABillNavigation_ctrlPoabPageListing2_repLinks_ctl05_liListItem"> <span>3</span> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageHero_ctlPoBNavigationListing_rpPoB_ctl00_ctrlPassageOfABillNavigation_ctrlPoabPageListing2_repLinks_ctl05_hypLink" class="lords-3" href="/web/20120111190546/http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/laws/passage-bill/commons/coms-lords-third-reading/">Third reading (Lords)</a> </li> </ol> </li> <li id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageHero_ctlPoBNavigationListing_rpPoB_ctl00_ctrlPassageOfABillNavigation_ctrlPoabPageListing3_repLinks_ctl01_liListItem" class="consideration"> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageHero_ctlPoBNavigationListing_rpPoB_ctl00_ctrlPassageOfABillNavigation_ctrlPoabPageListing3_repLinks_ctl01_hypLink" href="/web/20120111190546/http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/laws/passage-bill/commons/coms-consideration-of-amendments/">Consideration of amendments</a> </li> <li id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageHero_ctlPoBNavigationListing_rpPoB_ctl00_ctrlPassageOfABillNavigation_ctrlPoabPageListing3_repLinks_ctl02_liListItem" class="ascent"> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageHero_ctlPoBNavigationListing_rpPoB_ctl00_ctrlPassageOfABillNavigation_ctrlPoabPageListing3_repLinks_ctl02_hypLink" href="/web/20120111190546/http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/laws/passage-bill/commons/coms-royal-assent/">Royal Assent</a> </li> </ul> </div> <div class="house"> <h2><strong>Bill starting in the House of Lords</strong></h2> <ul> <li class="lords"> <span>House of Lords</span> <ol> <li id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageHero_ctlPoBNavigationListing_rpPoB_ctl01_ctrlPassageOfABillNavigation_ctrlPoabPageListing1_repLinks_ctl01_liListItem"> <span>1</span> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageHero_ctlPoBNavigationListing_rpPoB_ctl01_ctrlPassageOfABillNavigation_ctrlPoabPageListing1_repLinks_ctl01_hypLink" class="lords-1" href="/web/20120111190546/http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/laws/passage-bill/lords/lrds-lords-first-reading/">First reading (Lords)</a> </li> <li id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageHero_ctlPoBNavigationListing_rpPoB_ctl01_ctrlPassageOfABillNavigation_ctrlPoabPageListing1_repLinks_ctl02_liListItem"> <span>2</span> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageHero_ctlPoBNavigationListing_rpPoB_ctl01_ctrlPassageOfABillNavigation_ctrlPoabPageListing1_repLinks_ctl02_hypLink" class="lords-2" href="/web/20120111190546/http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/laws/passage-bill/lords/lrds-lords-second-reading/">Second reading (Lords)</a> </li> <li id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageHero_ctlPoBNavigationListing_rpPoB_ctl01_ctrlPassageOfABillNavigation_ctrlPoabPageListing1_repLinks_ctl03_liListItem"> <span>c</span> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageHero_ctlPoBNavigationListing_rpPoB_ctl01_ctrlPassageOfABillNavigation_ctrlPoabPageListing1_repLinks_ctl03_hypLink" class="lords-c" href="/web/20120111190546/http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/laws/passage-bill/lords/lrds-lords-committee-stage/">Committee stage (Lords)</a> </li> <li id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageHero_ctlPoBNavigationListing_rpPoB_ctl01_ctrlPassageOfABillNavigation_ctrlPoabPageListing1_repLinks_ctl04_liListItem"> <span>r</span> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageHero_ctlPoBNavigationListing_rpPoB_ctl01_ctrlPassageOfABillNavigation_ctrlPoabPageListing1_repLinks_ctl04_hypLink" class="lords-r" href="/web/20120111190546/http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/laws/passage-bill/lords/lrds-lords-report-stage/">Report stage (Lords)</a> </li> <li id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageHero_ctlPoBNavigationListing_rpPoB_ctl01_ctrlPassageOfABillNavigation_ctrlPoabPageListing1_repLinks_ctl05_liListItem"> <span>3</span> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageHero_ctlPoBNavigationListing_rpPoB_ctl01_ctrlPassageOfABillNavigation_ctrlPoabPageListing1_repLinks_ctl05_hypLink" class="lords-3" href="/web/20120111190546/http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/laws/passage-bill/lords/lrds-lords-third-reading/">Third reading (Lords)</a> </li> </ol> </li> <li class="commons"> <span>House of Commons</span> <ol> <li id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageHero_ctlPoBNavigationListing_rpPoB_ctl01_ctrlPassageOfABillNavigation_ctrlPoabPageListing2_repLinks_ctl01_liListItem"> <span>1</span> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageHero_ctlPoBNavigationListing_rpPoB_ctl01_ctrlPassageOfABillNavigation_ctrlPoabPageListing2_repLinks_ctl01_hypLink" class="commons-1" href="/web/20120111190546/http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/laws/passage-bill/lords/lrds-commons-first-reading/">First reading (Commons)</a> </li> <li id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageHero_ctlPoBNavigationListing_rpPoB_ctl01_ctrlPassageOfABillNavigation_ctrlPoabPageListing2_repLinks_ctl02_liListItem"> <span>2</span> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageHero_ctlPoBNavigationListing_rpPoB_ctl01_ctrlPassageOfABillNavigation_ctrlPoabPageListing2_repLinks_ctl02_hypLink" class="commons-2" href="/web/20120111190546/http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/laws/passage-bill/lords/lrds-commons-second-reading/">Second reading (Commons)</a> </li> <li id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageHero_ctlPoBNavigationListing_rpPoB_ctl01_ctrlPassageOfABillNavigation_ctrlPoabPageListing2_repLinks_ctl03_liListItem"> <span>c</span> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageHero_ctlPoBNavigationListing_rpPoB_ctl01_ctrlPassageOfABillNavigation_ctrlPoabPageListing2_repLinks_ctl03_hypLink" class="commons-c" href="/web/20120111190546/http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/laws/passage-bill/lords/lrds-commons-comittee-stage/">Committee stage (Commons)</a> </li> <li id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageHero_ctlPoBNavigationListing_rpPoB_ctl01_ctrlPassageOfABillNavigation_ctrlPoabPageListing2_repLinks_ctl04_liListItem"> <span>r</span> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageHero_ctlPoBNavigationListing_rpPoB_ctl01_ctrlPassageOfABillNavigation_ctrlPoabPageListing2_repLinks_ctl04_hypLink" class="commons-r" href="/web/20120111190546/http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/laws/passage-bill/lords/lrds-commons-report-stage/">Report stage (Commons)</a> </li> <li id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageHero_ctlPoBNavigationListing_rpPoB_ctl01_ctrlPassageOfABillNavigation_ctrlPoabPageListing2_repLinks_ctl05_liListItem"> <span>3</span> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageHero_ctlPoBNavigationListing_rpPoB_ctl01_ctrlPassageOfABillNavigation_ctrlPoabPageListing2_repLinks_ctl05_hypLink" class="commons-3" href="/web/20120111190546/http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/laws/passage-bill/lords/lrds-commons-third-reading/">Third reading (Commons)</a> </li> </ol> </li> <li id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageHero_ctlPoBNavigationListing_rpPoB_ctl01_ctrlPassageOfABillNavigation_ctrlPoabPageListing3_repLinks_ctl01_liListItem" class="consideration"> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageHero_ctlPoBNavigationListing_rpPoB_ctl01_ctrlPassageOfABillNavigation_ctrlPoabPageListing3_repLinks_ctl01_hypLink" href="/web/20120111190546/http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/laws/passage-bill/lords/lrds-consideration-of-amendments/">Consideration of amendments</a> </li> <li id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageHero_ctlPoBNavigationListing_rpPoB_ctl01_ctrlPassageOfABillNavigation_ctrlPoabPageListing3_repLinks_ctl02_liListItem" class="ascent"> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageHero_ctlPoBNavigationListing_rpPoB_ctl01_ctrlPassageOfABillNavigation_ctrlPoabPageListing3_repLinks_ctl02_hypLink" href="/web/20120111190546/http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/laws/passage-bill/lords/lrds-royal-assent/">Royal Assent</a> </li> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="content-small">  <div id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageContent_ctlMainBody_wrapperDiv" class="rte passage-of-a-bill"> <p></p><div> <div> <h2>Guide to the passage of a Bill </h2></div> <p>A Bill is a proposal for a new law, or a proposal to change an existing law, presented for debate before Parliament.</p> <p>A Bill can start in the Commons or the Lords and must be approved in the same form by both Houses before becoming an Act (law).</p> <p>This guide shows the passage of a Bill through Parliament and provides further information about each stage of the process.</p> </div> </div>  <ul class="arrows-list"> <li id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageContent_ctrlSimplePageListing_repLinks_ctl01_liItem"> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageContent_ctrlSimplePageListing_repLinks_ctl01_hypLink" href="/web/20120111190546/http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/laws/passage-bill/lords/lrds-lords-first-reading/">Bill starting in the House of Lords</a> </li> <li id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageContent_ctrlSimplePageListing_repLinks_ctl02_liItem"> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageContent_ctrlSimplePageListing_repLinks_ctl02_hypLink" href="/web/20120111190546/http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/laws/passage-bill/commons/coms-commons-first-reading/">Bill starting in the House of Commons</a> </li> </ul> </div> <div id="panel"> <div class="local-module">  <h2>Passage of a Bill</h2>  <div class="local-module-content"> <div class="itemImageWithTitle"> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_ctlRightHandModuleContainer_ctl00_rptLocalModuleItems_ctl00_ctlLocalModuleItem_hypLink"> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20120111190546im_/http://assets4.parliament.uk/iv/main-thumb-wide-right-panel/id_6590.jpg" id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_ctlRightHandModuleContainer_ctl00_rptLocalModuleItems_ctl00_ctlLocalModuleItem_ctlMainImageThumb_imgImageNoLink" alt="Passage of a Bill - full flash version"/></a> </div> <div class="itemText"> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div id="footer"> <p class="marker">Footer links</p> <ul> <li><a id="ctl00_ctl00_ctlGlobalFooter_ctlNavigationLinks_rptLinks_ctl01_hypLink" href="/web/20120111190546/http://www.parliament.uk/site-information/azindex/">A-Z index</a></li> <li><a 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Passage of a Bill - UK Parliament