UK Legislation Overview

1
UK Legislation Overview

• Bodleian Law Library
• Last updated July 2008

2
Introduction

• Overview of UK legislation England Wales
• Short presentation
• Opportunity for questions at the end

3
Types of legislation

• Primary legislation
• Bills Public, Private and Hybrid
• Acts Public General, Local and Personal
• Secondary or delegated legislation
• Statutory Instruments (S.I.s)
• Orders, Codes of Practice, etc

4
Pre-legislative materials

• Before a Bill is introduced research may have
  already been conducted in the form of
• Green papers
• White papers
• Law Commission reports and working papers
• Royal Commissions
• Public Inquiries

5
Where to find

• information on pre-legislative materials
• Current Legal Information (CLI) LRDI database
  (Also on Westlaw)
• Lawtel Bills, Command Papers and News Press
  databases
• Internet check Government websites and the
  Parliament website

6
Progress of a Bill

• A bill can start in either the Commons or Lords
• First Reading the bill's title is read out in
  parliament
• Second Reading debate on the general principles
  of the bill
• Committee Stage the bill is examined clause by
  clause and amendments discussed
• Report Stage allows for further amendments to
  be made on the bill
• Third Reading a final opportunity to comment on
  the amended bill
• Once the bill has completed the same procedure in
  each House the final text of Bill is agreed
• Bill receives Royal Assent and becomes an Act of
  Parliament

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Citing references to

• Bills
• Bill is assigned a new number each time it is
  reprinted
• References to Parliamentary Bills should include
  short title, Parliamentary Session in round
  brackets and Bill number, e.g.
• Prevention of Terrorism HC Bill (2004 2005)
  61
• Prevention of Terrorism HL Bill (2004 2005) 34

8
Where to find

• information on Bills
• Parliament website
• http//www.parliament.uk/bills/bills.cfm
• Hansard
• Weekly Information Bulletin
• Sessional Information Digest
• LexisNexis Butterworths
• CLI
• Lawtel

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Acts

• Royal Assent
• Act comes in force
• Straightaway
• Day to be assigned
• Commencement orders

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Citing references to

• Acts
• Public General Acts are cited using Arabic
  numerals, e.g.
• Companies Act 1985 (c 6)
• Prior to 1963 Acts cited by regnal year, e.g.
• Debtors Act 1869 (32 33 Vict cap 62)

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Citing references to

• Acts (continued)
• Local Acts are cited using Roman numerals, e.g.
• British Railways (Liverpool Street Station) Act
  1983 (cap. iv)
• Personal Private Acts are cited using Arabic
  numerals given in italics, e.g.
• Hugh Small and Norma Small (Marriage Enabling)
  Act 1982 (cap. 2)

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Where to find

• original texts of Acts
• Queens Printers copy
• Office of Public Sector Information (OPSI)
  website
• http//www.opsi.gov.uk/
• Current Law Statutes Annotated
• Justis
• Westlaw
• Law Reports Statutes
• amended texts of Acts
• Halsburys Statutes
• LexisNexis Butterworths
• Westlaw

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Secondary legislation

• Majority of secondary legislation is in the form
  of S.I.s
• Over 3,500 S.I.s are made each year
• S.I.s are used to add detail to an Act
• Also used to bring Acts into force (commencement
  orders)

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Citing references to

• S.I.s
• Draft S.I.s are not numbered
• Once an SI is approved it receives the next
  sequential number within the year, e.g.
• The Licensing Act 2003 (Personal licences)
  Regulations 2005 S.I. 2005 No.41

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Where to find

• information on S.I.s
• OPSI website
• http//www.opsi.gov.uk/
• Halsburys Statutory Instruments
• LexisNexis Butterworths
• Justis
• Westlaw or CLI

16
Updating legislation

• Important to always check the status of a piece
  of legislation
• To avoid using out-of-date information
• Ensure accuracy

17
Where to find

• the status of a piece of legislation
• Is It In Force?
• LexisNexis Butterworths
• Justis
• Lawtel
• Westlaw and CLI
• Current Law Legislation Citators
• Halsburys Statutes
• Halsburys Statutory Instruments

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Devolution

• The Government of Wales Act 1998
• The Scotland Act 1998
• The Northern Ireland Act 1998

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Wales

• National Assembly of Wales
• http//www.wales.gov.uk
• Secondary legislation in certain areas

20
Scotland

• Scottish Parliament
• http//www.scottish.parliament.uk
• Primary and secondary legislation with certain
  exceptions

21
Northern Ireland

• Northern Ireland Assembly
• http//www.niassembly.gov.uk
• Primary and secondary legislation with certain
  exceptions
• Currently suspended

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Summary

• Use the list of databases on the Law Library
  website
• http//www.ouls.ox.ac.uk/law/e-resources_and_guide
  s/legal_databases_-_subjectlegislation
• Law Library website also contains self-paced
  tutorials
• http//www.ouls.ox.ac.uk/law/e-resources_and_guide
  s/training/database_guides
• Refer to the Parliament website for background
  information on legislative process and current
  status
• http//www.parliament.uk/