The Legislative Process (Edexcel A Level Politics): Revision Note

What is the legislative process?

• The legislative process is the series of stages a bill must pass through in Parliament before it becomes law

• Most legislation is introduced by the government, although some bills are proposed by backbench MPs or the House of Lords

Types of bill

Stages of the legislative process

• Most bills begin in the House of Commons, although some begin in the House of Lords

• Once a bill has completed these stages in one House, it goes through the same process in the other House

Explaining the steps in the legislative process

Consideration of amendments (‘ping-pong’)

• If the second House amends the bill, it returns to the first House for consideration

  • This process is known as parliamentary ping-pong

  • The bill may pass back and forth several times until agreement is reached

• If agreement cannot be reached, the government may use the Parliament Acts to force the bill through the House of Lords

Royal assent

• Once both Houses agree on the final text, the bill is sent for royal assent

  • Royal assent is a formality and has not been refused since 1708

• Once granted, the bill becomes an Act of Parliament

Evaluating the legislative process

Strengths of the legislative process

• Multiple stages allow detailed scrutiny of legislation

• The Committee stage enables line-by-line examination and amendment

• The House of Lords can improve legislation through expertise and independence

• The process allows compromise between the government and Parliament

Weaknesses of the legislative process