public bill seminar- dorchester presentations
TRANSCRIPT
#TalkParliament
Dorchester16 October 2014
Campaigning: an introduction
Liz PriceRegional Outreach Officer for the South West
A policy timeline
Manifestodiscussion
Green PaperWhite Paper
Pre-legislativescrutiny
Generalelection
Queen’sSpeech
Passage of Bill through Parliament
An Act
Manifesto discussion
• Conservatives www.conservatives.com
• Labour www.labour.org.uk
• Liberal Democrats www.libdems.org.uk
• Other
Parliament• comprises Commons, Lords and Monarch• holds Government to account• passes laws
General election
Government• some MPs and some Lords, chosen by the Prime Minister• runs Government Departments and public services
Queen’s Speech
Read the Queen’s Speech in Hansard: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201415/ldhansrd/text/140604-0001.htm#14060430000173
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/queens-speech-2014-what-it-means-for-you/queens-speech-2014-what-it-means-for-you
Pre-legislative scrutiny• Draft Bills or draft clauses of a
bill• Mainly looked into by House of
Commons Select Committees but can be Joint Committees or House of Lords Committees
Passage of a bill
Bill starting in the House of Commons
Bill starting in the House of Lords
House of Commons
1 2 C R 3
House of Commons
1 2 C R 3House of Lords
1 2 C R 3
House of Lords
1 2 C R 3
First re
ading
Second re
ading
Committee st
age
Report reading
Third re
ading
First re
ading
Second re
ading
Committee st
age
Report reading
Third re
ading
A
A
Consideratio
n of
amendments
Royal Assent
Royal Assent
Commons: how to get involvedWhen to contact an MP about a Bill:
• Second reading• Public Bill Committee – find out who chairs the committee• Report Stage
Where to find information online:
• Bills - http://services.parliament.uk/bills/• Find an MP - www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/mps/
Lords: how to get involvedWhen to contact a Lord about a Bill:
• Second reading• Committee stage• Report Stage• Third reading
Where to find information online:
Speakers list - www.lordswhips.org.uk/todays-lists Bills - http://services.parliament.uk/bills/Find a Lord - www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/lords/
Post-legislative scrutiny• A relatively new thing• Ad hoc committees
as well as select committees in both Houses
• Memoranda issued from Government Departments
www.parliament.uk
www.parliament.uk
Your next steps...• Watch, read or attend a debate on a bill• Use http://services.parliament.uk/bills/ to find
information on specific bills (e.g. Library briefing papers or amendment papers)
• Use www.parliament.uk to research MPs and Lords with an interest in your issue
• Write to an interested MP or Lord about your issue• Read the advice on submitting evidence to Public Bill
Committees• Submit evidence to a Public Bill Committee
• A wide-ranging bill impacting on employment, regulation of businesses and finance
• The Bill has gone through the first and second reading stages• The Public Bill Committee stage will begin on 14 October and will be
receiving written evidence until 6 November• Submit written evidence to the Committee via [email protected]
This will be circulated to all members of the Committee to help inform consideration.
Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill
• Consult the Bill documents page of the relevant Bill to see the text of the Bill, Explanatory Notes, Amendment Papers and Library briefingshttp://services.parliament.uk/bills/2014-15/smallbusinessenterpriseandemployment/documents.html
• These documents will help you familiarise yourself with the content of the Bill
• The Library prepares briefings for the Second Reading and Commons Committee stages of the Bill
Ways to find out more about this Bill
Where can I get information?• www.parliament.uk and @UKParliament • Commons Information Office
020 7219 4272 [email protected]• Lords Information Office
020 7219 3107 [email protected]• Parliament’s Outreach Service
020 7219 [email protected]
© House of Lords 2009
Emily Baldock, House of Lords Clerk16 October 2014
Engaging with legislation in the House of Lords
© House of Lords 2009
Why engage with legislation in the House of Lords?
• Procedure
• Expertise
• Party balance
• Delay power
© House of Lords 2009
Impact of the House of Lords on legislation• 3503 amendments tabled to Government Bills in
2012-13 session, 1112 amendments made
• Dr Meg Russell (2013) noted the Lords impact on legislation:
1. “most visibly” through Government defeats2. By negotiated changes on points raised by
peers or committees3. Influence – where the Government try to
anticipate in their planning the House of Lords’ reaction to its legislation
© House of Lords 2009
How to access information about legislation in the House of Lords
© House of Lords 2009
© House of Lords 2009
© House of Lords 2009
© House of Lords 2009
Lords Select CommitteesThree main committees which deal directly with legislation:• Constitution Committee – examines all public
bills for constitutional implications• Joint Committee on Human Rights – considers
human rights issues• Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform
Committee – scrutinises proposals in bills to delegate legislative power from Parliament to another body and also examines Legislative Reform Orders
© House of Lords 2009
Whom to contact about a particular Bill
© House of Lords 2009
How to engage with Members of the House of Lords about legislation
• Parliament website for contact details
• Also many use social media
© House of Lords 2009
• Electronic correspondence to Peers increasing
• Clear and not too long
•Offer solutions and not just identifying problems
•If writing in a personal capacity, keep it short and personal.
•Glossy materials will have little effect if lacking substance
•Circular or printed material that is sent to everyone may not be read as closely
Writing to a Member of the House of Lords