Britain: An official handbook > 1977

34
Legislative
Proceedings
BRITAIN 1977: AN OFFICIAL HANDBOOK
All proceedings of either House are public, except on extremely rare occa¬
sions; the minutes (in the House of Commons called Votes and Proceedings
and in the House of Lords, Minutes of Proceedings) and the speeches (The
Official Report of Parliamentary Debates, Hansard) are published daily.
The records of the Lords from 1497 and of the Commons from 1547, together
with the parliamentary and political papers of certain past members of the
Houses, are available to the public in the House of Lords Record Office.
Parliamentary proceedings are not transmitted on television, but both Houses
of Parliament are to have permanent radio broadcasting of their proceedings.
The law undergoes constant reform in the courts as established principles
are interpreted, clarified or refashioned to meet new circumstances, but
substantial changes are the responsibility of Parliament and the Government
through the normal legislative process.
Draft legislation takes the form of a parliamentary Bill. Most Bills are public
Bills involving measures relating to public policy, but there are also private
Bills which deal solely with matters of individual, corporate or local interest.
Public Bills can be introduced either by a Government minister or by a ‘private
member’ of either House of Parliament who does not hold office in the Govern¬
ment. Most public legislation is in fact drafted on behalf of ministers, and has
the support of the Cabinet before being presented to Parliament by the
appropriate minister.
In the modern legislative process, before a Government Bill is finally
drafted, there is normally considerable consultation with, for instance,
professional bodies, voluntary organisations and other agencies interested in
the subject matter of the proposals, such as major interest groups and ‘pressure’
groups which aim to promote a specific cause. Proposals for legislative
changes are sometimes set out by the Government in ‘White Papers’ which
may be debated in Parliament before the introduction of a Bill. From time to
time ‘Green Papers’ are published setting out for public discussion major
ministerial proposals which are still at the formative stage.
Public Bills can first be introduced in either House. As a rule, however,
Bills likely to raise political controversy go through the Commons before the
Lords, while those of an intricate but uncontroversial nature often pass through
the Lords first. A Bill with a mainly financial purpose must be introduced in
the Commons, and a Bill involving taxation or the spending of public money
must be based on resolutions agreed to by the House, often after debate, before
it can be introduced. If the main object of a Bill is to create a public charge, it
can only be introduced by a minister, which gives the Government considerable
control over legislation.
At the beginning of each session private members of the Commons ballot
for the chance to introduce a Bill during time specially allocated for private
members’ Bills; the first 20 are successful. A private member may also present
a Bill after question time on notice given, or seek leave to introduce a Bill under
the ‘ten minute rule’ which allows two speeches, one in favour of and one
against the measure, after which the House decides whether to allow the Bill
to be brought in. Private members’ Bills do not often proceed very far, but a
few become law. If one secures a second reading, the Government usually
introduces any necessary money resolution. Private members’ Bills may be
introduced in the House of Lords at any time, without notice, but the time
that can be given to them in the Commons is strictly limited.
The process of passing a public Bill is similar in both Houses of Parliament.
The Bill receives a formal first reading on introduction, it is printed, and after