Becoming Law

In order to become an act of parliament, both the House of Commons and the House of Lords must approve a bill, which can be a very lengthy process. A bill will often go through several changes during its passage through parliament before it becomes an act and some bills never become law.

Once a bill is approved by parliament it then receives royal assent. In order to take effect the new act must have a commencement date. This ensures that it is clear when the new law comes into effect and, where necessary, that there is sufficient time for any arrangements to be made to allow the law to be enforced.

For example in the case of a new criminal statute, time may be needed after the law is enacted to allow police and others working in the criminal justice field to become aware of the new law and its effects and to plan for it. The commencement date can be a single date that applies to the whole act, or alternatively different parts of the act can have different commencement dates. Her Majesty’s Stationary Office publishes all new statutes.

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