Making & Shaping Law (Edexcel GCSE Citizenship Studies): Revision Note

The most common type of Bill, proposed by the government

They apply to the whole country and deal with major national issues

These bills take up most of Parliament’s time because the government controls the timetable

Examples of Public Bills include

• Budget and Finance Bills, which set out tax and public spending plans

• Laws on areas such as education, health, crime or immigration

Introduced by MPs or members of the House of Lords who are not government ministers

They allow individual parliamentarians to raise issues that matter to them or their constituents

They are important because they can raise awareness and influence future government legislation

Very few become law because:

• There is limited parliamentary time set aside for them

• The government may oppose them

Some Private Members’ Bills have been successful

• For example, the Smoking Ban in public places began as a Private Members’ Bill

Sponsored and paid for by outside organisations

They apply to specific individuals, companies or local areas, rather than the whole country

Common sponsors include:

• Local councils

• Transport authorities

• Harbour boards

A recent real example is the City of London (Various Powers) Act 2023

• This law was requested and paid for by the City of London Corporation

• It only applies to the City of London, not the whole country

• It gives the local council extra powers over things like traffic and street trading

Combine features of Public Bills and Private Bills

They affect the general public but also have a direct impact on specific groups or areas and go through extra scrutiny

A recent example is the Holocaust Memorial Bill

• It is a government bill but affects a specific site and local community

Other examples include bills related to major infrastructure projects, such as high-speed rail

The First Reading is the formal introduction of a new bill to Parliament where its title is read out

There is no debate or vote, and the bill is printed in full so MPs or Lords can study it

The Second Reading is the first major debate on the bill

Members discuss the main ideas and purpose of the proposed law and then vote on whether the bill should continue or be rejected

During the Committee Stage, a smaller group of MPs called a Public Bill Committee examines the bill in detail line by line

The Committee proposes amendments and votes on changes

At the Report Stage, the whole House considers the bill again

They discuss the committee’s amendments, and can suggest and vote on further changes

The Third Reading is the final debate in the House where the bill started

It is focused on the final version of the bill, followed by a final vote on whether it should move to the other House

Once approved by one House, the bill goes to the other House where it passes through the same stages

Any changes must be agreed by both Houses, with disagreements sometimes leading to parliamentary ping-pong