MPs debate Finance (No. 2) Bill 2014-15
25 March 2015
MPs are to debate all stages of the Finance (No. 2) Bill 2014-15 in the House of Commons on Wednesday 25 March 2015.
Proceedings on the Bill are expected to commence at approximately 12.45pm following the conclusion of Prime Minister's Question Time and a Ten Minute Rule Motion on Tax Transparency and International Development.
Timings are approximate and Parliamentary business is subject to change.
Transcripts of proceedings in the House of Commons Chamber are available three hours after they happen in Today’s Commons Debates.
Related information
Summary of the Finance (No. 2) Bill 2014-15
A Bill to grant certain duties, to alter other duties, and to amend the law relating to the National Debt and the Public Revenue, and to make further provision in connection with finance.
Proceedings on the Bill on 25 March 2015
Following the agreement of the House to a business motion on 24 March 2015 proceedings on Second Reading will be brought to a conclusion (unless already concluded) two hours after their commencement; proceedings in Committee, any proceedings on Report Stage and proceedings on Third Reading will be brought to a conclusion (unless already concluded) six hours after the commencement of proceedings on Second Reading.
Progress of the Bill
This Government Bill was presented to Parliament on Monday 23 March 2015. This is known as the first reading and there was no debate on the Bill at this stage.
Keep up to date with all the proceedings and documentation, including amendment papers, on the Finance (No. 2) Bill 2014-15 and find out how a bill becomes an Act of Parliament.
Further reading
HM Treasury have published overview documents relating to the Finance (No.2) Bill 2014-15
House of Commons Library analysis
The House of Commons Library produces briefing papers to inform MPs and their staff of key issues. The papers contain factual information and a range of opinions on each subject, and aim to be politically impartial.
- Library briefing paper: The Budget and the annual Finance Bill
- Library briefing paper: Budget 2015: Summary
What happens at second reading?
At second reading the House debates the whole principle of the bill. The Member in charge or the Minister moves the motion 'that the bill be now read a second time'. MPs then debate the bill. At the end of the debate the Speaker determines whether there are any objections to the motion being debated and asks for the Ayes and Noes.
Members voice their opinion, and if no objections are made, the bill passes second reading without a vote. If the Speaker believes Members have voiced disagreement, a division is called and a vote taken.
What happens after second reading?
If the Bill passes second reading the House will consider any Procedure Resolutions, Money Resolutions, or Ways and Means Resolutions relating to the Bill. The Bill will then progress to a Committee of the whole House.
What happens at a Committee of the Whole House?
When a bill passes its second reading and is considered in detail, this usually takes place in a Public Bill Committee held outside the Chamber and made up of between 16 and 20 MPs.
Occasionally a bill will be considered by a Committee of the whole House and this discussion takes place in the Chamber itself, where all MPs can take part.
Any bill can be referred to a Committee of the whole House, but the procedure is normally reserved for finance bills and other important or controversial legislation.
What happens next?
Following the Committee of the whole House the Bill will be considered at Report and Third Reading stages.
What is the report stage of a bill?
The report stage gives MPs an opportunity, on the floor of the House, to consider any further amendments (proposals for change) to the bill.
What happens at report stage?
All MPs may speak and vote. All MPs can suggest amendments to the bill or new clauses (parts) that they think should be added.
What happens after report stage?
Report stage will be followed immediately by proceedings on the bill's third reading.
What happens at third reading?
Debate on the bill is usually short, and limited to what is actually in the bill, rather than, as at second reading, what might have been included.
Amendments (proposals for change) cannot be made to a bill at a third reading in the Commons. At the end of the debate, the House decides whether to approve the third reading of the bill.
What happens after third reading?
The Bill will be sent to the House of Lords.
The House of Lords has a limited role in respect of Finance Bills. The House of Commons has the sole right to initiate and amend bills whose main purpose is to levy taxes or authorise expenditure.
The House of Lords will have a second reading debate on the Finance Bill but they will not consider the Bill clause by clause and will not amend the Bill.
Watching proceedings from the public gallery
UK residents and overseas visitors can watch proceedings in the House of Commons by visiting the public gallery.
This article was produced by the Commons Digital Outreach Team. Follow the @HouseofCommons on Twitter for updates on the UK House of Commons Chamber.