Royal Assent

Once both Houses of Parliament have passed a (законопроект), then it has to go to the (королева) for the (королівська санкція). If she had been living 500 years ago, the Queen would have (підписати) all Bills herself. She would also have gone in person to the (Палата лордів) to announce in Norman French whether she agreed to a Bill or wished (відхилити) it. No (монархи) since the 16^th century have signed Bills themselves.

There are now two ways in which the Queen can assent to a Bill. Usually she signs what are known as Letters Patent, which allow the two Houses (спікер палати лордів) and (лорд-канцлер) to announce that the Queen has given her (санкції). The other method of giving the Royal Assent occurs about once a year.

The Queen signs a document known as a Commission, which commands certain (лорди), known as Royal Commissioners, to go to the House of Lords and let (члени) of both Houses know the Royal Assent has been given. The ceremony for Royal Assent by Commission is rather like the State Opening Ceremony. Once a Bill has received the Royal Assent it becomes an (закон парламенту). A Bill usually takes several months to complete all its stages in (парламент).

Task 8. Give synonyms to the words in bold type.

Making New Laws: Bills and Acts

As the main function of the Parliament is to make laws every year Parliament passes about a hundred laws directly, by making Acts of Parliament.

There are two main types of Bills - Public Bills which deal with matters of public importance and Private Bills which deal with local matters and individuals.

No new law can be passed unless it has completed a number of stages in the House of Commons and the House of Lords.

In each house a bill is considered in three stages, called readings. The First Reading is purely formal, to introduce the bill. It is then printed and read a second time. The Second Reading is a discussion of the general principles of the bill, with a vote at the end of the discussion. If the bill passes its Second Reading it is considered word by word ‘in a committee’. The bill as altered by the committee is then brought before the whole House again for its Third Reading. In this debate matters of principle and detail may be discussed and voted on. At the end of the Third Reading a final vote is taken.

If the majority of the members vote in favour, the bill has then passed all its stages. Unless it is a money bill, it must then go through all these stages again in the House of Lords. If the Lords rejects the bill that the Commons has passed, the Commons can pass the bill again in the next session. If the Commons then passes the bill a second time, the bill is not sent back to the Lords, but is submitted for the Royal Assent. In other words, the final power of the Lords is to impose about a year’s delay on legislation. But if there are some amendments made to a bill by the House of Lords they must be considered by the Commons. If the House of Commons does not agree, the bill is altered and sent back to the Lords. In the event of persistent disagreement between the two houses, Commons prevails. When a bill has passed through both Houses, it is presented to the Queen for approval.

After receiving the Royal assent the Bill becomes an Act of Parliament. In order to be enforced it must be published in Statute form, becoming apart of Statute Law.

Task 9. Match the words on the left with their definitions on the right. Use them in the sentences of your own.

1. queen	a) place where one lives
2. preside	b) receive property, a title, etc as heir
3. inherit	c) be chairman , be the head of
4. residence	d) put on one side for special purpose
5. appropriate	e) ruler in her own right

Task 10.Topics for discussion.

1. The main functions of the House of Lords.

2. The main functions of the House of Commons.

3. The Royal Assent.

4. How a Bill becomes a Law.

5. Compartive analysis of the Ukrainian system of government with the British one.