Listening for ielts 7 Unit 1

Alison
: I see. What is the procedure that a "bill" has to go through?
Chris
: The bill first of all goes through its First Reading as we call it. This just means that the title of the 
bill is announced and a time is set for it to be discussed.
Alison
: Yes, and then what is the next stage?
Chris
: And the bill will go through the Second Reading which is really the Debate stage. The bill may be 
rejected at this stage. If it is an important bill this may cause the Government to resign. On the other 
hand, it may be passed or there may be no vote.
Alison
: If the bill is passed, what will happen?
Chris
: If the bill is passed, it goes on to the Committee stage where a small group of members meet and 
discuss it in detail.
Alison
: Do all the members have to attend the meeting?
Chris
: It depends. For certain important bills the whole House can turn itself into a committee which 
means that the detailed discussion is carried on by all the members. When the committee has finished 
its work it reports the bill with all the changes that have been made to the House. The bill is discussed 
again at this stage and more changes can he made. This is called the Report stage.
Alison
: And then the bill becomes an "act" of Parliament?
Chris
: No, the report stage is not the last stage. The bill is taken for its Third Reading which is a debate, 
just like the Second Reading. A vote is taken and the bill is either passed or rejected. If it is passed, it 
goes to the other House, not the one it was started in. So if the bill started in the House of Commons, it 
would go at this point to the House of Lords.
Alison
: I see. The bill has to pass by both Houses no matter which House proposed the bill.
Chris
: Yes. When both Houses have passed the bill, it goes to the Queen for the Royal Assent. A bill may 
not become law until the Royal Assent has been given, but this does not mean that the Queen decides 
on what will become law and what will not. It is understood that the Queen will always accept bills 
which both Houses have passed. When the Queen gives her assent, the bill becomes an act, and 
everyone that it affects must obey the new law.