How a Bill Becomes Law

• A bill is a proposal for a new law.

How a Bill Becomes Law

• The government might introduce a bill based on campaign promises.
• Issues can be brought to the government's attention from various sources.
• A Green Paper is produced for consultation to gather feedback on policy proposals both internally and externally.
• A White Paper is subsequently published, potentially including a draft bill, to allow for further consultations and revisions.
• When the two Houses disagree on wording, they exchange proposed changes in a process known as "ping-pong."
• Once both Houses approve a bill, it is presented to the monarch for royal assent, at which point it becomes law.

Categories of Bills

• Public Bills propose changes to laws that apply to the general population.
• Private Bills change laws for specific individuals or organizations, not the general public.

Types of Bills

• Government Bills are proposed by the government.
• Private Members' Bills are presented by individual MPs, although most do not become law.

Primary & Secondary Legislation

• Primary legislation includes main laws passed by the UK Parliament, such as an Act of Parliament.
• Secondary legislation is created by ministers under the powers granted by an Act of Parliament (primary legislation).

Separation of Powers

• The UK's system of government is divided into multiple branches, with the Monarchy at the center.
• The UK operates under an unwritten constitution that outlines the distribution of power.
• A separation of powers, dividing power among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches, is vital for a democratic government.
• The UK has a fusion of / Separation of Powers.

Government Branches

• The Executive, composed of HM Government, proposes laws, runs the Government, and represents the will of the majority.
• The House of Commons, an elected legislature, creates, designs, scrutinizes, and approves laws, representing the will of the people.
• The House of Lords, an appointed legislature, scrutinizes and approves laws, acting as a check on the Executive, and represents the unwritten constitution.
• The Judiciary, encompassing all UK courts, upholds the laws of the UK and represents the rule of law.
• The Crown, represented by the Monarch (Queen Elizabeth II), symbolizes the UK, grants Royal Assent to bills, and embodies ceremony and tradition.

Civil Service

• The Civil Service conducts the administrative work of government, is managed by the Prime Minister, and works with the government to direct policies, adhering to a strict code of conduct.
• Approximately half of all civil servants directly provide services to the public.

Impartiality and Role of Civil Servants

• Civil servants serve the Crown, which means serving the Government of the day.
• The civil service advises on policies, assists in implementing decisions, and manages/delivers services for which the Government is responsible.
• The duty of a civil servant is to the Minister of the Crown in charge of their department.

Civil Service Code

• The Civil Service Code is a part of the terms and conditions for every civil servant.
• It was introduced in 1996 and has been updated several times since.

Four Core Values of Civil Service Code

• Integrity: Prioritizing public service obligations over personal interests.
• Honesty: Being truthful and open.
• Objectivity: Basing advice and decisions on rigorous analysis of evidence.
• Impartiality: Acting solely according to the merits of the case and serving governments of different political persuasions equally well.

Standards of Behaviour for Civil Servants

• Civil servants are prohibited from acting based on party political considerations.
• They must not use official resources for party political purposes.
• They cannot allow personal political views to influence advice or actions and cannot unjustly favor or discriminate against individuals or interests.
• As of March 31, 2018, there were 430,075 civil servants employed, representing a 2.5% increase from 2017.

Bicameral Parliament

• The UK Parliament has two chambers: the House of Commons (elected MPs) and the House of Lords (unelected Peers).
• Parliament is referred to as the 'legislature,' with the responsibility of making laws.
• The UK’s bicameral legislature enhances bill scrutiny, as the Lords apply expertise to identify problems and suggest changes.

The House of Commons

• It is composed of 650 Members of Parliament (MPs) elected by the public in a general election.
• Each MP represents a constituency and belongs to a political party.
• The party that secures the most seats forms the government.
• The leader of the winning party becomes Prime Minister and appoints people to run government departments.
• The minister and civil service within that department are responsible for drafting bills.
• The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively known as the Executive.
• The House of Commons holds debates on laws and national/international issues.
• During debates, the government sits on the speaker's right, while the opposition sits on the left.
• Ministers and shadow ministers occupy the front benches, with other MPs behind (backbench MPs)
• MPs discuss motions, and then the Speaker calls for a division (a vote).
• Each MP proceeds through either an 'Aye' or 'No' lobby, and the numbers are counted.
• The result is then announced to the Speaker.
• Most of Parliament's work is conducted in Committees, comprised of MPs from different parties.

The House of Lords

• Composed of around 800 Lords (Peers), who are unelected and unpaid, except for expenses.
• Some Lords are affiliated with political parties, while others are cross-benchers.
• Since the House of Lords Act 1999, there are three types of Lords: Life Peers, Hereditary Peers, and Bishops/Archbishops.
• Approximately 675 Life Peers are appointed by the government.
• Approximately 90 Hereditary Peers are Lords by birth (discontinued).
• 26 Bishops and Archbishops are Lords.
• The House of Lords debates and scrutinizes Commons bills, suggests amendments, scrutinizes European legislation, and introduces new bills.
• A significant portion of the Lords' work is done in Committees, where Lords contribute knowledge and experience.

Types of Committees

• General Committees
• Joint Committees
• Grand Committees
• Public Bill Committees
• Select Committees.