Transcript Slide 1

Where to find UK
Legislation
Ruth Bird
Librarian
Bodleian Law Library
UK Legislation
Houses of Parliament, London
(Photography by Deryc Sands. Image subject to Parliamentary copyright)
Legislation
Acts of Parliament = Statutes
First Act of Parliament kept at Westminster, 1497
Image supplied by the Parliamentary Archives Image is subject to Parliamentary Copyright.
More recent acts of Parliament
Legislative Process

Bill (draft legislation - debate)

Act (when the Bill receives Royal
Assent)

Commencement (the Act becomes
law)
1. Bills
 Drafts of Acts: the text will change
 Debated in both the House of
Commons and the House of Lords
 Listed on the UK Parliament website:
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/pabills.htm
List of Bills
Procedure for passing bills
 First reading
 Second reading
 Committee stage
 Report stage
 Third reading
 Passage through the other House
 Royal Assent
http://www.parliament.uk/works/newproc.cfm
2. Acts of Parliament
 When a bill is adopted it receives the
Royal Assent
 When a Bill receives the Royal Assent
it becomes an Act and is given a
Chapter number
 Acts are also known as Statutes
3. Commencement
 An Act is not law until it has been
brought into force = “Commencement”
 Date of commencement = the date that
an Act becomes law
 Always remember to check that an Act
is in force
Where to find statutes (1)
Printed volumes in
the Library
 Chronological order
 Without
amendments
Where to find statutes (2)
Halsbury’s Statutes
 Arranged by
subject
 Amendments
included
Where to find statutes (3)
UK Statute Law
Database
 Free online source
 Amendments
included
UK Statute Law Database
http://www.statutelaw.gov.uk/
Search by:
Title
Year
Number
Legislation type
Example of search
Search for
Title:
Human Rights Act
Year:
1998
Type the
title of the
Act here
Type the
year of the
Act here
Click Go
Click here for the Act
Click here for the Commencement Order
The Act
The Commencement Order
Useful web sites
 United Kingdom Parliament
http://www.parliament.uk/
 Information on bills at:
http://www.parliament.uk/bills/bills.cfm
 UK Statute Law Database
http://www.statutelaw.gov.uk/