Campaigning: an introduction

Clare CowanHead of Public Information and Outreach

A policy timeline

Manifestodiscussion

Green PaperWhite Paper

Pre-legislativescrutiny

Generalelection

Queen’sSpeech

Passage of Bill through Parliament

An Act

Manifesto discussion

• Conservatives www.conservatives.com

• Labour www.labour.org.uk

• Liberal Democrats www.libdems.org.uk

• Other

Parliament• comprises Commons, Lords and Monarch• holds Government to account• passes laws

General election

Government• some MPs and some

Lords, chosen by the Prime Minister

• runs Government Departments and public services

Queen’s Speech

Green papers• Green Papers are

consultation documents produced by the Government

• Green Papers allow people inside and outside Parliament to debate the subject and give the Department feedback on its suggestions

White Papers• White Papers are

produced by the Government and set out details of future policy

• Often the basis for a Bill to be put before Parliament

• Allows the Government an opportunity to gather feedback before formally presenting the policies as a Bill

Pre-legislative scrutiny• Draft Bills or draft clauses

of a bill• Mainly looked into by

House of Commons Select Committees but can be Joint Committees

Passage of a bill

Bill starting in the House of Commons

Bill starting in the House of Lords

House of Commons

1 2 C R 3

House of Commons

1 2 C R 3House of Lords

1 2 C R 3

House of Lords

1 2 C R 3

First re

ading

Second re

ading

Committee st

age

Report reading

Third re

ading

First re

ading

Second re

ading

Committee st

age

Report reading

Third re

ading

A

A

Considerat

ion of

amendments

Royal Assent

Royal Assent

Commons: how to get involvedWhen to contact an MP about a Bill:

• Second reading• Public Bill Committee – find out who chairs the

committee• Report Stage

Where to find information online:

• Bills - http://services.parliament.uk/bills/• Find an MP -

www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/mps/

Lords: how to get involvedWhen to contact a Lord about a Bill:

• Second reading• Committee stage• Report Stage• Third reading

Where to find information online:

Speakers list - www.lordswhips.org.uk/todays-lists Bills - http://services.parliament.uk/bills/Find a Lord - www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/lords/

Post-legislative scrutiny

• A relatively new thing• Ad hoc committees

as well as select committees in both Houses

• Memoranda issued from Government Departments

Your next steps...• Watch, read or attend a debate on a bill• Use http://services.parliament.uk/bills/ to find

information on specific bills (e.g. Library briefing papers or amendment papers)

• Use www.parliament.uk to research MPs and Lords with an interest in your issue

• Write to an interested MP or Lord about your issue• Read the advice on submitting evidence to Public Bill

Committees• Submit evidence to a Public Bill Committee