Act of Parliament

Act of Parliament
in the constitutional law of the UK, a Bill that has passed through all its stages and received the royal assent, thus becoming statute and law. Bills are introduced in Parliament either by a government minister or an unofficial (or private) Member presenting it at the Clerks' table. It has a first reading, which is purely formal, and the Bill is only a dummy – a sheet of paper with the Bill's title on it and the Member's name. The second reading is a discussion on the principles of the bill. At this stage it can be sent to a second reading committee for this discussion. If it is an opposed bill, it has to go before the House of Commons on one of the days set down for that sort of business. The next stage is the committee stage. It is at this stage that details and amendments are discussed. The Bill then proceeds to its report stage, when the Bill is reported to the House. At this stage or at the committee stage the kangaroo procedure can be adopted. This is a power vested in the Speaker, or chairman, to select which clauses are debated and to select the others for a simple vote, and it is done to save time. The Bill then has a third reading, at which point its principles may be debated and sent to the House of Lords. A similar procedure to that in the House of Commons is followed in the Lords.

Collins dictionary of law. . 2001.

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  • act of parliament — see under ↑parliament • • • Main Entry: ↑act act of parliament A statute that has passed through both the House of Commons and the House of Lords, and received the formal royal assent • • • Main Entry: ↑parliament * * * Act of Parliament [Act of… …   Useful english dictionary

  • Act of Parliament — ˌAct of ˈParliament noun Acts of Parliament PLURALFORM [countable] LAW a law made by the central national elected body of Britain or of some other countries: • New regulations will require an Act of Parliament. * * * Act of Parliament UK US noun… …   Financial and business terms

  • Act of Parliament — An Act of Parliament is a law as primary legislation by a national or sub national parliament. It is broadly equivalent to an Act of Congress in the United States.In Commonwealth English the term is used both in a narrow sense, as the formal… …   Wikipedia

  • Act of Parliament — (in Britain) a new law which has been approved by Parliament. After a bill has been passed by the House of Commons and the House of Lords and it has received royal assent, it becomes an Act of Parliament and therefore, part of British law. * * * …   Universalium

  • act of parliament — noun A military term for small beer, five pints of which, by an act of parliament, a landlord was formerly obliged to give to each soldier gratis. (1811 Dictionary of Vulgar Tongue) …   Wiktionary

  • Act of Parliament clock — (Act of) Parliament clock A type of wall clock (usu of mahogany, and with a large uncovered dial found esp in public houses) which became popular around 1797 in response to an act of parliament imposing a tax on all clocks and watches • • • Main… …   Useful english dictionary

  • (Act of) Parliament clock — A type of wall clock (usu of mahogany, and with a large uncovered dial found esp in public houses) which became popular around 1797 in response to an act of parliament imposing a tax on all clocks and watches ● parliament …   Useful english dictionary

  • Act of Parliament — Act of Par|lia|ment a law that has been officially accepted by a parliament, especially the British Parliament …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • Act of Parliament clock — An Act of Parliament clock is a type of large clock originally hung in inns and taverns in the United Kingdom, beginning in the mid 18th century. Such clocks were plain in design, the faces were around two to five feet in diameter, and they were… …   Wikipedia

  • act of parliament — A statute; a law made by the British sovereign, with the advice and consent of the lords and the commons, in parliament assembled. Acts of parliament form the leges scriptae, i.e., the written laws of the kingdom. Such acts are of three kinds:… …   Black's law dictionary

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