Parliamentary glossary

These entries explain words you will meet when reading bills, debates, questions and secondary legislation in TabledHQ. Each definition is in our own words. The linked page on parliament.uk or legislation.gov.uk is the authority for the formal rule. The House of Commons and the House of Lords do not always use the same procedure, so check the source for the House you are reading about.

How a bill becomes law

Bill

A bill is the text of a proposed law while Parliament is still considering it. It can be introduced in either House, and both Houses have to agree it before it can receive Royal Assent.

Source: Bills

Draft bill

A draft bill is published for comment and scrutiny before a bill is formally introduced. It has not yet begun the usual stages in either House.

Source: Draft bills

Government bill

A government bill is introduced by a minister and sets out changes to the law that the government wants Parliament to pass. Most Acts begin in this way.

Source: Government bills

Private Member's bill

A private Member's bill is introduced by an MP or peer who is not doing so as a minister. It goes through bill stages, but parliamentary time for these bills is limited.

Source: Private Members' bills

First reading

First reading is the introduction of a bill in the Commons or the Lords. Members do not debate the policy at this stage; the bill is presented and ordered to be printed.

Source: First reading

Second reading

Second reading is the debate on a bill's purpose and general principles. The House decides whether the bill should continue to detailed consideration.

Source: Second reading

Committee stage

Committee stage is the detailed look at a bill's wording. Members can propose changes to what is already there, or try to add new provisions.

Source: Committee stage

Public Bill Committee

A Public Bill Committee is the Commons committee that usually takes committee stage of a public bill. A named group of MPs works through the text.

Source: Public Bill Committee

Committee of the whole House

Committee of the whole House is committee stage taken in the Chamber, so every member can take part, rather than in a smaller Public Bill Committee. The Lords normally use this form, and the Commons uses it for some bills.

Source: Committee of the whole House

Report stage

Report stage is the whole House's opportunity, after committee stage, to consider further amendments to the bill.

Source: Report stage

Third reading

Third reading is the last stage a bill takes in that House, when the House decides whether to pass it on. The Commons and the Lords apply different rules on amendments at this stage.

Source: Third reading

Amendment

An amendment is a proposed change to the wording of a bill or a motion. The text changes only if the House, or the committee dealing with it, agrees the amendment.

Source: Amendments

Clause

A clause is a numbered block of text in a bill. When the bill becomes an Act, clauses are usually renamed sections.

Source: Clauses

Schedule

A schedule is a part of a bill or Act, printed after the main clauses, that holds extra detail such as lists or further rules. It has legal effect as part of the legislation.

Source: Schedules

Ping-pong

Ping-pong is the informal name for the Commons and the Lords sending each other amendments to a bill. It goes on until both Houses agree one text, or the bill comes to an end.

Source: Ping-pong

Royal Assent

Royal Assent is the monarch's formal agreement to a bill that has finished its stages in Parliament. The bill then becomes an Act of Parliament.

Source: Royal Assent

Act of Parliament

An Act of Parliament is a law made by the UK Parliament. It starts life as a bill and becomes an Act when both Houses have agreed it and it has received Royal Assent.

Source: What is an Act of Parliament?

Coming into force

Coming into force is the point at which a provision starts to have legal effect. Royal Assent can be given on one day, with some or all of the provisions brought into force on a later day.

Source: Coming into force

Primary legislation

Primary legislation is law made by a legislature itself, such as an Act of the UK Parliament. Instruments made under powers in that Act take their authority from it.

Source: Primary legislation and Understanding legislation

Secondary legislation

Secondary legislation

Secondary legislation, also called delegated legislation, is law made by a minister or another body using powers an Act has already granted. It is how detail is set without passing a fresh Act for every change.

Source: Secondary legislation

Statutory instrument

A statutory instrument is the usual form of secondary legislation in the UK. The Act that grants the power, often called the parent Act, also fixes which parliamentary procedure applies.

Source: Statutory instruments and UK statutory instruments

Affirmative procedure

The affirmative procedure means Parliament must vote to approve a statutory instrument, either before it is made or within a set time afterwards, as the parent Act requires. Some financial instruments are considered by the Commons alone.

Source: Affirmative procedure

Negative procedure

The negative procedure means a statutory instrument can become law without a prior approval vote, though a House with a role in the procedure can still annul it by agreeing a motion within the time allowed. Some financial instruments are for the Commons alone.

Source: Negative procedure

Explanatory memorandum

An explanatory memorandum is published with a statutory instrument and describes, in plainer language, what the instrument does and why it is being made. The instrument itself is the legal text.

Source: Explanatory memorandum

Questions, motions and votes

Motion

A motion is a formal proposal put before a House. It may ask the House to take a view on policy, to agree a change to a bill, or to arrange its business in a particular way.

Source: Motions

Early Day Motion

An Early Day Motion is a motion an MP tables in the Commons when no day has been fixed for a debate. Other MPs may add their names, and only a small number are ever debated.

Source: Early Day Motions

Written question

A written question is a formal question an MP or a member of the Lords puts to a minister for a written answer. Members use these questions to seek information or to press for action.

Source: Written questions

Oral question

An oral question is asked aloud to a minister in the Chamber during question time. The minister answers there, and a short follow-up question is often allowed.

Source: Oral questions

Division

A division is a formal counted vote: Aye or No in the Commons, and Content or Not Content in the Lords. Committees can divide as well as the Chambers.

Source: Divisions

Whip

A whip is an MP or peer a party appoints to organise its members and to tell them the party's voting position. The same word is used for the written notice that lists upcoming business and how important it is to attend.

Source: Whips

Select committee

A select committee is a small group of MPs or peers appointed to investigate a subject or to scrutinise a department or area of policy. It can hear evidence and publish a report.

Source: Select committees

Petition

A petition is a formal request from members of the public asking Parliament to consider an issue or to take a step. The petition's own page explains how it will be handled.

Source: Petition

Records, papers and rules

Hansard

Hansard, also called the Official Report, is the edited record of what is said in the Chambers and in many committees. Use it when you need the official account of a debate.

Source: Hansard (Official Report)

Order Paper

The Order Paper is the published agenda for a sitting day. It lists the business the House is due to take, including questions, motions and bills.

Source: Order Paper

Standing Orders

Standing Orders are the written rules each House uses to conduct its business. A House can amend or suspend its Standing Orders through its own procedures.

Source: Standing Orders

Parliamentary privilege

Parliamentary privilege is the set of protections that allow the Houses and their members to carry out parliamentary duties without improper interference from outside Parliament. It covers freedom of speech in parliamentary proceedings.

Source: Parliamentary privilege

People and the calendar

Parliament

The UK Parliament is made up of the House of Commons, the House of Lords and the monarch. The word is also used for the stretch of time between one general election and the next.

Source: Parliament

MP

An MP (Member of Parliament) is a person elected to the House of Commons to represent a constituency.

Source: Members of Parliament

Peer

A peer is a member of the House of Lords. The House includes life peers, hereditary peers and bishops.

Source: Peer

Backbencher

A backbencher is an MP or peer who is neither a government minister nor an opposition spokesperson. In the Chamber, backbenchers sit in the rows behind the front benches.

Source: Backbenchers

Frontbencher

A frontbencher is a government minister or an opposition spokesperson. Frontbenchers speak from the front benches on either side of the Chamber.

Source: Frontbenchers

Session

A session is a run of parliamentary business from the State Opening until prorogation. A Parliament can contain more than one session.

Source: Session

Sitting

A sitting is a meeting of the Commons, the Lords or a committee at which parliamentary business is taken.

Source: Sittings

Recess

A recess is a planned break during a session, when the Houses are not meeting to conduct business. The session continues through the recess.

Source: Recess

Prorogation

Prorogation brings a session to a formal close. Bills still in progress usually end as well, unless the Houses have agreed that a bill may continue into the next session.

Source: Prorogation

Dissolution

Dissolution ends a Parliament so that a general election can be held.

Source: Dissolution

Related help

For how the stages fit together, see Understanding bill stages. For instruments, see Statutory instruments. For questions, see Written questions explained.

Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0.

Where GOV.UK data is used: Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

TabledHQ is independent and not affiliated with UK Parliament or GOV.UK.

TabledHQ is independent and not affiliated with UK Parliament, the Scottish Parliament or GOV.UK.