BS OR Procedures

Instruments subject to the draft affirmative procedure are laid in draft and require approval in Parliament before being signed into law. Instruments concerning taxation are not laid in the Lords and only require the approval of the Commons. 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.

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.