Glossary
This section explains key parliamentary and government terms.
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.