'Bicameral instruments (clock stops if both Houses rise)' calculation style Procedures
See the 'Bicameral instruments (clock stops if both Houses rise)' calculation on the egg timer.
There are 6 procedures.
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Made negative
Instruments subject to the made negative procedure do not require approval in Parliament before becoming law. These instruments may come into force on any date after being laid. Instruments concerning taxation are not laid in the Lords. Either House may pass a motion within the objection period which annuls the instrument and stops it having effect.
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Enhanced affirmative: Investigatory Powers Act 2016
Instruments subject to the enhanced affirmative procedure under the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 are laid in draft and require approval in Parliament before being signed into law. Unlike the normal draft affirmative procedure, instruments laid under the enhanced affirmative procedure are subject to a clock period of 40 or 60 days. The Commons debates the instrument in a Delegated Legislation Committee or in the Commons Chamber, where a decision on approval is made. The Lords debates the instrument in Grand Committee or in the Lords Chamber, where a decision on approval is made.
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Draft negative
Instruments subject to the draft negative procedure are laid in draft and do not require approval in Parliament before being signed in law. Instruments concerning taxation are not laid in the Lords. Either House may pass a motion within the objection period which prevents the instrument being signed into law. The instrument cannot be signed into law by a Minister until the end of the objection period.
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Made affirmative
Instruments subject to the made affirmative procedure are signed into law before being laid in Parliament but require approval from Parliament within a specified period. There are different types of made affirmative SIs: the most common type of made affirmative SI comes into force before it is approved (and can come into force before it is laid) but cannot remain in force unless it is approved by Parliament within a specified period. Another rarer type of made affirmative SI is laid after being made but cannot come into force unless the instrument is approved by Parliament. The relevant procedure and the length of the approval period is defined in the parent Act.
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Published draft under European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (Repealed)
Paragraphs 13-15 of Schedule 8 to the European (Withdrawal) Act 2018 set up a a two-stage affirmative procedure for any instruments to amend or revoke secondary legislation originally made under the European Communities Act 1972 (most Directives were implemented that way). First the statutory instrument had to be published in draft for 28 days to allow for comment. Second, when the instrument was formally laid, the Minister was required to make a "scrutiny statement" setting out the Government response to any recommendations made by a parliamentary committee on the draft, and any other representations on the instrument. The instrument laid did need not be identical to the published draft, if it made amendments as a result of that consultation. Only 20 instruments used the procedure and it was abolished by sec 10 (1) of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023.
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Legislative Reform Order
Legislative Reform Orders (LROs) are a specific type of delegated legislation that the Government can use to remove or reduce burdens that result directly or indirectly from legislation, or to promote principles of better regulation. They are made under terms set out in the Legislative and Regulatory Reform Act 2006 and are subject to scrutiny by a special committee in each House.