How a bill becomes law in the UK
A bill is a proposal for a new law, or a change to an existing one, that Parliament is asked to approve. Every bill passes through the same fixed sequence of stages - first in one House, then again in the other:
- First reading - the bill is formally introduced. No debate takes place.
- Second reading - MPs or peers debate the bill's general principles and vote on whether it should proceed.
- Committee stage - line-by-line scrutiny, where most amendments are made.
- Report stage - the whole House reviews the amended bill and can make further changes.
- Third reading - a final debate and vote on the finished text.
- The other House - the bill repeats all five stages in the second chamber. If the Houses disagree on amendments, it passes back and forth ("ping-pong") until they agree a single text.
- Royal Assent - the bill becomes an Act of Parliament. It is now law, though many Acts come into force later through commencement regulations.
Most bills that become law are government bills introduced by ministers. Private members' bills, introduced by individual MPs or peers, only rarely succeed without government backing, because the government controls most parliamentary time. The tracker above shows every bill currently before Parliament and its exact stage, updated live from the official Parliament Bills API.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a bill and an Act?
A bill is a proposal for legislation still being considered by Parliament. Once both Houses have passed it and it receives Royal Assent, it becomes an Act of Parliament - the law itself, although some provisions may come into force at a later date.
What are the stages of a bill?
Each House gives a bill a first reading, a second reading debate on its principles, committee-stage scrutiny, a report stage and a third reading. The bill must pass all stages in both the Commons and the Lords, and both Houses must agree the same final text.
What is a private members' bill?
A private members' bill is introduced by an individual MP or peer rather than the government. Only a small number become law each session, usually those the government chooses to support, because parliamentary time is controlled largely by the government.
How up to date is this bills data?
The tracker pulls directly from the official UK Parliament Bills API and shows bills ordered by most recent activity, so it reflects the latest recorded stage of every bill currently before Parliament.