Glossary

Act of Parliament

Abbreviation: Act

A law that has completed the parliamentary process and received Royal Assent.

Adjournment Debate

A debate, usually on a specific issue, held without a vote on a substantive motion.

Affirmative Procedure

A process requiring Parliament to approve a piece of delegated legislation before it can take effect.

Allocation of Time Motion

A motion limiting the time available for debate on a bill or other business.

Amendment

A proposed change to the wording of a bill, motion, or other parliamentary text.

Artificial Intelligence

Abbreviation: AI

Technology that can perform tasks normally associated with human intelligence, such as analysing information or generating responses.

Backbench Business Debate

A debate on a subject chosen by backbench MPs rather than by the government.

Bill

A proposed law that must pass through Parliament before it can become an Act.

Business Motion

A motion setting out how certain parliamentary business will be arranged or taken.

Business Statement

A statement setting out forthcoming parliamentary business and scheduling.

Call for Evidence

An invitation for written submissions to help inform a committee inquiry or review.

Carry-over Motion

A motion allowing a bill to continue into the next parliamentary session instead of falling.

Closure Motion

A motion asking the House to end debate and move to a decision.

Commencement Order

A legal instrument that brings part or all of an Act into force.

Commencement Regulations

Regulations used to bring provisions of an Act into force.

Committal Motion

A motion deciding how or where a bill will be sent for detailed committee scrutiny.

Committee of the whole House

A stage where the entire House considers a bill in committee form, rather than sending it to a smaller committee.

Committee Report

A published report setting out a parliamentary committee’s findings and recommendations.

Committee Stage

The stage where a bill is examined in detail and amendments can be considered line by line.

Confidence Motion

A motion used to test whether the government still has the support of the House of Commons.

Consolidation Bill

A bill that brings together existing law on a subject into a more orderly single Act, usually without major policy change.

Copyright

A legal right that protects original creative works from being copied or used without permission.

Creative Industries

Sectors of the economy based on creative work, such as film, music, publishing, design and the arts.

Delegated Legislation

Law made under powers granted by an Act, rather than made directly through a new Act itself.

Delegated Legislation Committee

A Commons committee that debates certain statutory instruments and other delegated legislation.

Delegated Power

A power given by Parliament allowing ministers or another body to make detailed legal rules or take related action later.

Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform Committee

Abbreviation: DPRRC

A House of Lords committee that examines whether bills give ministers inappropriate delegated powers.

Delegated Powers Memorandum

A document explaining why a bill gives ministers or others powers to make delegated legislation.

Division

A formal vote in Parliament where members are counted for each side.

Draft Bill

A proposed bill published in draft form before being formally introduced in Parliament.

Draft Statutory Instrument

A proposed statutory instrument laid before Parliament before it is formally made.

Enabling Power

A provision in an Act giving ministers or another body authority to make delegated legislation or take other legal action.

European Convention on Human Rights

Abbreviation: ECHR

An international human rights treaty setting out rights and freedoms protected across member states of the Council of Europe.

Evidence Session

A committee meeting where members question witnesses as part of parliamentary scrutiny.

Explanatory Memorandum

A document explaining the purpose and effect of a statutory instrument or similar measure.

Explanatory Notes

Notes published with a bill to explain what its clauses mean and how it is intended to work.

Framework Bill

A bill that sets up a broad legal structure while leaving detailed rules to later regulations or guidance.

Government Amendment

An amendment proposed by the government to change a bill or motion.

Government Bill

A bill introduced by the Government rather than by an individual MP or peer.

Government Response

The formal reply the government gives to a committee report or recommendation.

Grand Committee

A Lords committee setting where legislation or other business can be debated in detail without formal votes.

Green Paper

A government discussion document setting out ideas for consultation before firm policy decisions are made.

Guillotine Motion

An older term for a motion imposing strict time limits on debate.

Hansard

The official report of what was said in Parliament.

Henry VIII Power

A power allowing ministers to amend or repeal provisions in an Act using delegated legislation.

House of Commons

Abbreviation: Commons

The elected chamber of the UK Parliament, made up of Members of Parliament.

House of Lords

Abbreviation: Lords

The unelected second chamber of the UK Parliament, which scrutinises bills and government policy.

Hybrid Bill

A public bill that affects certain people or bodies in a particular way beyond the general public.

Impact Assessment

A document explaining the expected effects of a proposed policy or law.

Joint Committee

A committee made up of members from both the House of Commons and the House of Lords.

Joint Committee on Human Rights

Abbreviation: JCHR

A committee of MPs and peers that examines legislation and policy for compatibility with human rights standards.

Keeling Schedule

A schedule showing how amended legislation would read if changes were inserted into the existing text.

King’s Speech

The speech at the State Opening of Parliament setting out the government’s planned legislative programme.

Legislative Consent Motion

Abbreviation: LCM

A motion by a devolved legislature giving or withholding consent to Westminster legislating in a devolved area.

Lords Amendment

A change to a bill made by the House of Lords.

Lords Bill

Abbreviation: HL Bill

A bill that starts in the House of Lords or is marked as a Lords bill during its passage.

Made Affirmative Procedure

A procedure allowing delegated legislation to be made and take effect before later parliamentary approval is required.

Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency

Abbreviation: MHRA

The UK regulator responsible for medicines, medical devices and blood components for transfusion.

Member of Parliament

Abbreviation: MP

An elected representative who sits in the House of Commons.

Money Resolution

A Commons motion authorising public spending connected to a bill.

Negative Procedure

A process where delegated legislation becomes law unless Parliament objects within a set period.

Opposition Day Debate

A debate chosen by an opposition party rather than by the government.

Oral Evidence

Evidence given by witnesses speaking directly to a parliamentary committee.

Oral Question

A question asked aloud in the chamber, with a minister answering in person.

Oral Statement

A spoken statement made by a minister in the chamber, followed by questions from members.

Peer

A member of the House of Lords.

Petition

A formal request asking Parliament or one of its Houses to take action or consider an issue.

Petitioner

A person or body that submits a petition to Parliament.

Ping-pong

The stage when a bill moves between the Commons and Lords as they try to agree on amendments.

Prayer Motion

A motion used to seek the annulment of a statutory instrument laid under the negative procedure.

Pre-legislative Scrutiny

The examination of a draft bill before it is formally introduced into Parliament.

Private Member’s Bill

A bill introduced by an MP or peer who is not acting on behalf of the government.

Programme Motion

A motion that sets the timetable for a bill’s progress through the House of Commons.

Public Bill Committee

A Commons committee that examines most bills in detail after Second Reading.

Reasoned Amendment

An amendment that sets out reasons for opposing a bill, often at Second Reading.

Report Stage

The stage after committee scrutiny when the whole House can consider and vote on further amendments.

Review Clause

A provision requiring a law or power to be reviewed after a certain period or in certain circumstances.

Royal Assent

The formal approval required for a bill to become an Act of Parliament.

Second Reading

The stage where Parliament debates the main principles and purpose of a bill.

Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee

Abbreviation: SLSC

A House of Lords committee that examines secondary legislation and draws important instruments to the House’s attention.

Select Committee

A cross-party committee that examines the work of government departments, public bodies, or specific issues.

Select Committee Inquiry

A formal investigation by a select committee into a topic, department, or public issue.

Session

The period during which Parliament conducts business between one State Opening and the next.

Sessional Order

An order made for the duration of a parliamentary session.

Skeleton Bill

A bill containing broad principles but leaving much of the detail to be filled in later by delegated legislation.

Special Report

A committee report published for a specific purpose, often to respond to government replies or present particular material.

Standing Order

A formal rule governing how Parliament or one of its Houses conducts business.

Statutory Consultation

A consultation that the law requires to take place before a decision, regulation, or other action is taken.

Statutory Guidance

Official guidance issued under legal authority, which public bodies may be required to follow or take into account.

Statutory Instrument

Abbreviation: SI

A form of secondary legislation made under powers granted by an Act of Parliament.

Statutory Instrument Committee

A general term for a committee arrangement used to consider statutory instruments.

Sunset Clause

A provision causing part of a law to expire automatically at a set time unless renewed.

Super-affirmative Procedure

An enhanced scrutiny procedure giving Parliament more time and opportunity to consider delegated legislation before approval.

Ten Minute Rule Bill

A type of Private Member’s Bill introduced after a short speech seeking the House’s leave.

Third Reading

The final stage in one House, where members debate the bill in its near-final form.

UK Health Security Agency

Abbreviation: UKHSA

The UK agency responsible for protecting public health from infectious diseases and other health threats.

Urgent Question

Abbreviation: UQ

A question allowed at short notice so a minister must come to the House and answer on an urgent matter.

Ways and Means Resolution

A Commons motion authorising tax or charge provisions connected to a bill.

White Paper

A government policy document setting out more definite proposals or plans for future action.

Written Evidence

Evidence submitted in writing to a parliamentary committee or inquiry.

Written Ministerial Statement

A formal written statement by a minister to Parliament, usually used to announce decisions or provide official information.

Written Question

A question submitted in writing to a minister, with the answer given in writing.