How does a Bill become a Law? Video Lecture | How does UK Parliament's Education Service works? - Personal Learning

don't steal pay your taxes go to school
we're all expected to obey the laws of
the land but where the laws come from
before a law becomes a law it is known
as a bill and on its way to becoming a
law a bill must pass through both houses
of parliament most bills are based on
ideas suggested by the government
although any MP or Lord can propose a
bill they will get checked by both along
the way all bills get the same treatment
first every bill gets introduced so
everyone knows it's begun its journey to
become a law usually a government
minister who supports the bill will
spend and explain the reasons why they
think it's a good idea other MPs and
Lords will ask lots of questions and
either support or challenge the
minister's ideas and views MPs and Lords
will also take a closer look at the
detail of a bill bills have to be
examined line by line to ensure tiny
details aren't overlooked a committee of
MPs and Lords with a special interest in
or knowledge of a bill subject will
usually carry out this task MPs and
Lords also have the chance to make
changes to the bill after holding a
debate they might want to take parts out
or add new bits these changes are called
amendments MPs and Lords vote on each
bill a number of times every time a bill
is debated or changes are proposed it
continues its journey to becoming a law
but if most MPs and Lords vote against
the bill then its journey comes to an
end so if the bill was the government's
idea for example the government would
have to abandon its plan or come up with
a new idea
every bill starts in either the House of
Commons or the House of Lords when a
bill finally gets approved in one house
it goes over to the other house for the
same treatment it gets introduced it's
discussed and debated the bill is looked
at in detail changes or amendments are
suggested and everyone votes as the bill
makes its journey both houses must agree
on the final wording of a bill before it
can become law if one hands changes the
bill it must go back to the other house
for approval a bill can go back and
forth from one house to the other until
an agreement is reached a bit like a
game of table tennis
if both houses are unable to agree the
House of Commons has the final say
that's because its members are elected
however the two houses almost always
reach an agreement the final part of a
Bill's journey into law is called Royal
Assent once both the House of Commons
and the House of Lords agree that a bill
is fit to become a law it is sent to the
monarch and when the monarch agrees well
then a bill finishes its long journey
becoming a law of the land
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