Annex B - Glossary
Term |
Definition |
Act of Parliament |
An Act of Parliament is a law that both Houses of Parliament |
Affirmative procedure |
Under the affirmative procedure a statutory instrument must be approved by both the House of Commons and the House of Lords to become law. There are two sub-categories of the affirmative procedure in this Bill. Under the draft affirmative procedure, the statutory instrument cannot be made unless a draft has been laid before and approved by both Houses. Under the made affirmative procedure, the statutory instrument can be made and come into force before it is debated, but cannot remain in force unless approved by both Houses within one month. |
Bill |
A proposal for a new law or an amendment to an existing law that has been presented to Parliament for consideration. Once agreed and made into law, it becomes an Act. |
Coming into force |
The process by which an Act of Parliament, secondary |
Devolution settlements |
The constitutional arrangements governing which decision making responsibilities and legislation making powers have been devolved and the mechanisms through which these operate. |
Devolution statutes (or Acts/legislation) |
The principal Acts of Parliament that set out the terms of the devolution settlements. These are the Scotland Act 1998, the Northern Ireland Act 1998, and the Government of Wales Act 2006. ‘Devolution legislation’ may refer either to the devolution statutes or to the statues together with the secondary legislation made under them. |
Devolved administrations |
The governments of the devolved nations of the UK. These are the Scottish Government, the Welsh Government and the Northern Ireland Executive. |
Devolved competence |
The areas in which the devolved legislatures are responsible for making laws (‘legislative competence’) or the devolved administrations are responsible for governing or making secondary legislation (‘executive competence’). |
Devolved institutions |
Used to refer collectively to both the devolved administrations and the devolved legislatures. |
Devolved legislatures |
The law making bodies of the devolved nations of the UK. These are the Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly for Wales and the Northern Ireland Assembly. |
European Commission |
The Commission is the main executive body of the EU. It has |
Negative procedure |
A statutory instrument under the negative procedure will become law once made without debate unless there is an objection from either House. |
Secondary legislation |
Legal instruments (including regulations and orders) made under powers delegated to ministers or other office holders in Acts of Parliament. They have the force of law but can be disapplied by a court if they do not comply with the terms of their parent Act. Also called subordinate or delegated legislation. |
Statutory instrument |
A form of secondary legislation to which the Statutory |