Unit 3. Legislation in the united kingdom

TEXT

Legislation in the United Kingdom

Vocabulary

1. the House of Lords — Палата Лордов

2. the House of Commons — Палата Общин

3. similar — подобный, схожий

4. scrutiny — тщательная проверка

5. a life peer — пожизненный пэр (титул и привилегии не переда-ются по наследству)

6. a hereditary peer — потомственный пэр (титул и привилегии пе-редаются по наследству)

7. to proceed to committee stage — перейти на стадию обсуждения в комитете

8. to propose further amendments — предлагать дальнейшее внесе-ние поправок

9. to reach agreement — достигнуть соглашения

10. the Royal Assent — королевская санкция

Прочитайте текст и ответьте на вопросы.

1. What is the legislative body in the UK? What does it consist of?

2. What are the steps in the legislative process?

3. What are the sources of bills? Who can introduce the legislation?

In Great Britain laws are made in Parliament at Westminster. The British Parliament consists of the monarch, the House of Lords, and the House of Commons. Their work is similar: making laws (legislation), checking the work of the government (scrutiny), and debating current issues. The House of Lords is composed of life peers and hereditary peers. The House of Common is composed of Members of Parliament (MPs).

The idea for a new law can come from a variety of sources: bills may be introduced by any member of either House (a “Private Member’s Bill”), a Minister of the Crown (a “Government Bill”), by the general public (“Public Bills”), by an individual or small group of individuals (a “Private Bill”).

First reading is the first stage of a Bill’s passage through the House of Commons — usually a formality, it takes place without debate. The short title of the Bill is read out and then the Bill is printed. The Bill is published as a House of Commons paper for the first time.

The next stage is second reading, the first opportunity for MPs to debate the general principles and themes of the Bill.

Once second reading is completed the Bill proceeds to committee stage. Committee stage is where detailed examination of the Bill takes place, clause by clause, determining the intent and impact of the Bill’s language. This is therefore often considered the most important step in the parliamentary process for researchers aiming to determine legislative intent. It is at this stage that amendments are made. If the Bill has been amended the Bill is reprinted before its next stage.

Once committee stage is finished, the Bill returns to the floor of the House of Commons for its report stage, where the amended Bill can be debated and further amendments proposed. All MPs can suggest amendments to the Bill or new clauses (parts) they think should be added.

Report stage is normally followed immediately by debate on the Bill’s third reading. Amendments (proposals for change) cannot be made to a Bill at the third reading in the Commons.

The process in the House of Lords is very similar to the process in the House of Commons. The Bill will have the pro forma first reading, then the second reading. After the second reading the Bill will normally be referred to a Committee of the Whole House. The Bill then passes through a consideration stage and the third reading. In the House of Lords amendments may be made in the Committee of the Whole House, the consideration stage, and the third reading (this is different from the House of Commons where no amendments can be made in the third reading).

If the Bill is started in the Commons it goes to the House of Lords for its first reading. If the Bill is started in the Lords it returns to the House of Lords for consideration of any amendments the Commons has made. Both Houses must agree on the exact wording of the Bill. A Bill may go back and forth between each House until both Houses reach agreement.

When a Bill has completed all its parliamentary stages in both Houses, it must have the Royal Assent before it can become an Act of Parliament. The Royal Assent is the monarch’s agreement to make the Bill into an Act and is a formality. When Royal Assent has been given to a Bill, the announcement is usually made in both Houses by the Lord Speaker in the Lords and the Speaker in the Commons.