Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill: Lords consideration of amendments
24 April 2013
The Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill bounces back to the Lords today for consideration of Commons' amendments, 'ping pong'
- Watch the debate on Parliament TV
- Read the Lords Hansard report (three hours after debate)
- List of amendments (changes) to be discussed
- Lords library note: Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill
Members will discuss outstanding amendments to be agreed, relating the reinstatement of Section 3 of the Equality Act 2006 and providing for caste to be an aspect of race in the Equality Act 2010.
Consideration of amendments/ping pong explained
Once the bill has completed third reading in the House of Lords the bill returns to the Commons where it will consider any amendments made.
Both Houses need to agree to the exact wording of the bill and the bill may 'ping pong' between both Houses until this happens.
When the exact wording of the bill has been agreed by both Houses the bill is ready for royal assent. Once a bill receives royal assent it becomes an Act of Parliament (proposals in the bill become law).
The bill's progress so far
Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill summary
The Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill includes:
- changes to competition policy and employment law
- measures for reducing regulation
- the Green Investment Bank
- directors’ remuneration
- rules around copyright and planning.
Next and final stage: Royal assent
Once a bill has completed all its parliamentary stages in both Houses, it's ready to receive royal assent and become an act of Parliament (law). Royal assent is the Queen's formal agreement to make the bill into an act.
There is no set time period between the consideration of amendments and royal assent.
When royal assent has been given, an announcement is made in both Houses by the Lord Speaker in the Lords and the Speaker in the Commons.
At prorogation (the formal end to a parliamentary session), Black Rod interrupts the proceedings of the Commons and summons MPs to the Lords chamber to hear the Lords commissioners announce royal assent for each bill.