Draft Bill

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

Also used as: draft bills

Source / explainer: Read the UK Parliament bill process explainer

Last reviewed: 3 August 2026

A draft bill is a proposed bill published before it is formally introduced in Parliament. Draft bills are often used so that ministers, committees, experts, and the public can examine the text in advance. Publishing a bill in draft can allow problems to be identified earlier and may support better scrutiny before the formal legislative process begins.

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