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Bills & legislation - UK Parliament
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id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_ctlHeadingH1_h1Item"><!-- Start Indexing --> Bills & legislation <!-- Stop Indexing --></h1> <div class="hero-section"> <!-- Start Indexing --> <!-- Stop Indexing --><!-- Start Indexing --> <div class="rte"> <p>Bills and Legislation sets out the proposals for new laws, and plans to change existing laws, that are presented for debate before Parliament. </p> <p>Keep up to date with the progress of current and draft Bills before Parliament; read the full texts of Acts of Parliament, and find out the details of delegated legislation that change laws under existing Acts. <br/></p> </div> <!-- Stop Indexing --> </div> <div id="landing-advanced"> <div class="outer"><div class="two-wide"> <div class="section-promotion"> <!-- Start Indexing --> <h2><a href="/web/20120117041855/http://www.parliament.uk/business/bills-and-legislation/current-bills/">Bills before Parliament</a></h2> <!-- Stop Indexing --> <div class="inner"> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageContent_ctrlChildPageListing_repChildPages_ctl00_ctrlSectionPromotion_ctlMainImageThumb_hypImageLink" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120117041855/http://www.parliament.uk/business/bills-and-legislation/current-bills/"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20120117041855im_/http://assets3.parliament.uk/iv/main-thumb-wide/id_1108.jpg" id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageContent_ctrlChildPageListing_repChildPages_ctl00_ctrlSectionPromotion_ctlMainImageThumb_imgThumbWithLink" alt=""/></a> <p>Full text of Public, Private and Hybrid Bills, plus their progress through Parliament; includes Acts passed this session</p> <ul class="square-bullets"> <li id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageContent_ctrlChildPageListing_repChildPages_ctl00_ctrlSectionPromotion_ctlRelatedLinks_rptRelatedLinks_ctl00_liItem"> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageContent_ctrlChildPageListing_repChildPages_ctl00_ctrlSectionPromotion_ctlRelatedLinks_rptRelatedLinks_ctl00_hypRelatedLink" href="/web/20120117041855/http://www.parliament.uk/business/bills-and-legislation/current-bills/">Bills before Parliament</a> </li> <li id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageContent_ctrlChildPageListing_repChildPages_ctl00_ctrlSectionPromotion_ctlRelatedLinks_rptRelatedLinks_ctl01_liItem"> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageContent_ctrlChildPageListing_repChildPages_ctl00_ctrlSectionPromotion_ctlRelatedLinks_rptRelatedLinks_ctl01_hypRelatedLink" href="/web/20120117041855/http://www.parliament.uk/business/bills-and-legislation/current-bills/previous-bills/">Bills in previous sessions</a> </li> <li id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageContent_ctrlChildPageListing_repChildPages_ctl00_ctrlSectionPromotion_ctlRelatedLinks_rptRelatedLinks_ctl02_liItem"> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageContent_ctrlChildPageListing_repChildPages_ctl00_ctrlSectionPromotion_ctlRelatedLinks_rptRelatedLinks_ctl02_hypRelatedLink" href="/web/20120117041855/http://www.parliament.uk/business/bills-and-legislation/current-bills/public-bill-list/">Progress of Public Bills this session</a> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> <div class="two-wide last"> <div class="section-promotion"> <!-- Start Indexing --> <h2><a href="/web/20120117041855/http://www.parliament.uk/business/bills-and-legislation/draft-bills/">Draft Bills before Parliament</a></h2> <!-- Stop Indexing --> <div class="inner"> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageContent_ctrlChildPageListing_repChildPages_ctl01_ctrlSectionPromotion_ctlMainImageThumb_hypImageLink" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120117041855/http://www.parliament.uk/business/bills-and-legislation/draft-bills/"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20120117041855im_/http://assets3.parliament.uk/iv/main-thumb-wide/id_1651.jpg" id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageContent_ctrlChildPageListing_repChildPages_ctl01_ctrlSectionPromotion_ctlMainImageThumb_imgThumbWithLink" alt=""/></a> <p>The Government publishes a number of Bills each session in draft form to enable consultation before a Bill is issued formally</p> <ul class="square-bullets"> <li id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageContent_ctrlChildPageListing_repChildPages_ctl01_ctrlSectionPromotion_ctlRelatedLinks_rptRelatedLinks_ctl00_liItem"> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageContent_ctrlChildPageListing_repChildPages_ctl01_ctrlSectionPromotion_ctlRelatedLinks_rptRelatedLinks_ctl00_hypRelatedLink" href="/web/20120117041855/http://www.parliament.uk/business/bills-and-legislation/draft-bills/">Draft Bills before Parliament</a> </li> <li id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageContent_ctrlChildPageListing_repChildPages_ctl01_ctrlSectionPromotion_ctlRelatedLinks_rptRelatedLinks_ctl01_liItem"> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageContent_ctrlChildPageListing_repChildPages_ctl01_ctrlSectionPromotion_ctlRelatedLinks_rptRelatedLinks_ctl01_hypRelatedLink" href="/web/20120117041855/http://www.parliament.uk/business/bills-and-legislation/draft-bills/previous-sessions/">Draft Bills in previous sessions</a> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="outer"><div class="two-wide"> <div class="section-promotion"> <!-- Start Indexing --> <h2><a href="/web/20120117041855/http://www.parliament.uk/business/bills-and-legislation/secondary-legislation/">Secondary Legislation</a></h2> <!-- Stop Indexing --> <div class="inner"> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageContent_ctrlChildPageListing_repChildPages_ctl02_ctrlSectionPromotion_ctlMainImageThumb_hypImageLink" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120117041855/http://www.parliament.uk/business/bills-and-legislation/secondary-legislation/"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20120117041855im_/http://assets3.parliament.uk/iv/main-thumb-wide/id_1110.jpg" id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageContent_ctrlChildPageListing_repChildPages_ctl02_ctrlSectionPromotion_ctlMainImageThumb_imgThumbWithLink" alt=""/></a> <p>Delegated legislation allows the Government to make changes to the law using powers conferred by an Act of Parliament</p> <ul class="square-bullets"> <li id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageContent_ctrlChildPageListing_repChildPages_ctl02_ctrlSectionPromotion_ctrlSimplePageListing_repLinks_ctl01_liItem"> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageContent_ctrlChildPageListing_repChildPages_ctl02_ctrlSectionPromotion_ctrlSimplePageListing_repLinks_ctl01_hypLink" href="/web/20120117041855/http://www.parliament.uk/business/bills-and-legislation/secondary-legislation/statutory-instruments/">Statutory Instruments</a> </li> <li id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageContent_ctrlChildPageListing_repChildPages_ctl02_ctrlSectionPromotion_ctrlSimplePageListing_repLinks_ctl02_liItem"> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageContent_ctrlChildPageListing_repChildPages_ctl02_ctrlSectionPromotion_ctrlSimplePageListing_repLinks_ctl02_hypLink" href="/web/20120117041855/http://www.parliament.uk/business/bills-and-legislation/secondary-legislation/churchmeasures/">Church Measures</a> </li> <li id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageContent_ctrlChildPageListing_repChildPages_ctl02_ctrlSectionPromotion_ctrlSimplePageListing_repLinks_ctl03_liItem"> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageContent_ctrlChildPageListing_repChildPages_ctl02_ctrlSectionPromotion_ctrlSimplePageListing_repLinks_ctl03_hypLink" href="/web/20120117041855/http://www.parliament.uk/business/bills-and-legislation/secondary-legislation/special-procedure-orders/">Special Procedure Orders</a> </li> <li id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageContent_ctrlChildPageListing_repChildPages_ctl02_ctrlSectionPromotion_ctrlSimplePageListing_repLinks_ctl04_liItem"> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageContent_ctrlChildPageListing_repChildPages_ctl02_ctrlSectionPromotion_ctrlSimplePageListing_repLinks_ctl04_hypLink" href="/web/20120117041855/http://www.parliament.uk/business/bills-and-legislation/secondary-legislation/hybrid-instruments/">Hybrid instruments</a> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> <div class="two-wide last"> <div class="section-promotion"> <!-- Start Indexing --> <h2><a href="/web/20120117041855/http://www.parliament.uk/business/bills-and-legislation/acts-of-parliament/">Acts of Parliament</a></h2> <!-- Stop Indexing --> <div class="inner"> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageContent_ctrlChildPageListing_repChildPages_ctl03_ctrlSectionPromotion_ctlMainImageThumb_hypImageLink" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120117041855/http://www.parliament.uk/business/bills-and-legislation/acts-of-parliament/"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20120117041855im_/http://assets3.parliament.uk/iv/main-thumb-wide/id_1198.jpg" id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageContent_ctrlChildPageListing_repChildPages_ctl03_ctrlSectionPromotion_ctlMainImageThumb_imgThumbWithLink" alt=""/></a> <p>Full text of Public General Acts from 1988 and all Local (Private) Acts from 1991 as they were originally enacted</p> <ul class="square-bullets"> <li id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageContent_ctrlChildPageListing_repChildPages_ctl03_ctrlSectionPromotion_ctrlSimplePageListing_repLinks_ctl01_liItem"> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageContent_ctrlChildPageListing_repChildPages_ctl03_ctrlSectionPromotion_ctrlSimplePageListing_repLinks_ctl01_hypLink" href="/web/20120117041855/http://www.parliament.uk/business/bills-and-legislation/acts-of-parliament/acts-of-parliament/">Acts of Parliament (as passed) (external link)</a> </li> <li id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageContent_ctrlChildPageListing_repChildPages_ctl03_ctrlSectionPromotion_ctrlSimplePageListing_repLinks_ctl02_liItem"> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageContent_ctrlChildPageListing_repChildPages_ctl03_ctrlSectionPromotion_ctrlSimplePageListing_repLinks_ctl02_hypLink" href="/web/20120117041855/http://www.parliament.uk/business/bills-and-legislation/acts-of-parliament/legislation/">Legislation.gov.uk (external link)</a> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </div></div> </div> </div> <div id="panel"> <div class="local-module"> <!-- Start Indexing --> <h2>Related information</h2> <!-- Stop Indexing --> <div class="local-module-content"> <div class="itemImageWithTitle"> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_ctlRightHandModuleContainer_ctl00_rptLocalModuleItems_ctl00_ctlLocalModuleItem_hypLink"><!-- Start Indexing --> <strong>How does a Bill become a law?</strong> <!-- Stop Indexing --></a> </div> <div class="itemText"> <!-- Start Indexing --> <div class="rte main-introduction"> <p>Our guide shows a Bill's journey through Parliament - find out what happens at each stage.</p> </div> <!-- Stop Indexing --> <ul class="square-bullets"> <li id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_ctlRightHandModuleContainer_ctl00_rptLocalModuleItems_ctl00_ctlLocalModuleItem_ctlRelatedLinks_rptRelatedLinks_ctl00_liItem"> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_ctlRightHandModuleContainer_ctl00_rptLocalModuleItems_ctl00_ctlLocalModuleItem_ctlRelatedLinks_rptRelatedLinks_ctl00_hypRelatedLink" href="/web/20120117041855/http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/laws/flash-passage-bill/">Passages of a Bill - flash version</a> </li> <li id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_ctlRightHandModuleContainer_ctl00_rptLocalModuleItems_ctl00_ctlLocalModuleItem_ctlRelatedLinks_rptRelatedLinks_ctl01_liItem"> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_ctlRightHandModuleContainer_ctl00_rptLocalModuleItems_ctl00_ctlLocalModuleItem_ctlRelatedLinks_rptRelatedLinks_ctl01_hypRelatedLink" href="/web/20120117041855/http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/laws/passage-bill/">Passage of a Bill - accessible version</a> </li> </ul> </div> <div class="itemImageWithTitle"> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_ctlRightHandModuleContainer_ctl00_rptLocalModuleItems_ctl01_ctlLocalModuleItem_hypLink"><!-- Start Indexing --> <strong>Bill v Acts</strong> <!-- Stop Indexing --></a> </div> <div class="itemText"> <!-- Start Indexing --> <div class="rte main-introduction"> <p>A Bill is a draft law; it becomes an Act if it is approved by a majority in the House of Commons and House of Lords, and formally agreed to by the reigning monarch (known as Royal Assent). An Act of Parliament is a law, enforced in all areas of the UK where it is applicable.</p> </div> <!-- Stop Indexing --> <ul class="square-bullets"> <li id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_ctlRightHandModuleContainer_ctl00_rptLocalModuleItems_ctl01_ctlLocalModuleItem_ctlRelatedLinks_rptRelatedLinks_ctl00_liItem"> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_ctlRightHandModuleContainer_ctl00_rptLocalModuleItems_ctl01_ctlLocalModuleItem_ctlRelatedLinks_rptRelatedLinks_ctl00_hypRelatedLink" href="/web/20120117041855/http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/laws/bills/">More about Bills</a> </li> <li id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_ctlRightHandModuleContainer_ctl00_rptLocalModuleItems_ctl01_ctlLocalModuleItem_ctlRelatedLinks_rptRelatedLinks_ctl01_liItem"> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_ctlRightHandModuleContainer_ctl00_rptLocalModuleItems_ctl01_ctlLocalModuleItem_ctlRelatedLinks_rptRelatedLinks_ctl01_hypRelatedLink" href="/web/20120117041855/http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/laws/acts/">More on Acts</a> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div id="fat-footer"> <h2>Parliamentry Links</h2> <div class="inner"> <div class="six-wide"> <strong><a id="ctl00_ctl00_ctlFatFooter_rptFooterLinks_ctl00_hlHeader" href="/web/20120117041855/http://www.parliament.uk/business/">Parliamentary business</a></strong> <ul> <li><a id="ctl00_ctl00_ctlFatFooter_rptFooterLinks_ctl00_ctlFatFooterItemListing_rpChildLinks_ctl01_hypLink" href="/web/20120117041855/http://www.parliament.uk/business/commons/">House of Commons</a></li> <li><a id="ctl00_ctl00_ctlFatFooter_rptFooterLinks_ctl00_ctlFatFooterItemListing_rpChildLinks_ctl02_hypLink" href="/web/20120117041855/http://www.parliament.uk/business/lords/">House of Lords</a></li> <li><a id="ctl00_ctl00_ctlFatFooter_rptFooterLinks_ctl00_ctlFatFooterItemListing_rpChildLinks_ctl03_hypLink" href="/web/20120117041855/http://www.parliament.uk/business/whats-on/">What's 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