Glossary
This section explains key parliamentary and government terms.
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.
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.
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 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.
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 Memorandum
A document explaining why a bill gives ministers or others powers to make delegated legislation.
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.
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.
Grand Committee
A Lords committee setting where legislation or other business can be debated in detail without formal votes.
Guillotine Motion
An older term for a motion imposing strict time limits on debate.
Henry VIII Power
A power allowing ministers to amend or repeal provisions in an Act using delegated legislation.
Hybrid Bill
A public bill that affects certain people or bodies in a particular way beyond the general public.
Keeling Schedule
A schedule showing how amended legislation would read if changes were inserted into the existing text.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.