What are the most important stages of the legislative process?

First Reading: formal presentation of title by minister from dept.
Second Reading: the main debate on the principle of the bill + vote.
Committee Stage: bills are sent to a Public Bill Committee (new one established for each bill) where detailed scrutiny of each clause occurs, and amendments can be made. In 2015-16: 18 public bill committees. The membership of the committee, which ranges from 16 – 50, reflects that of the HofC as a whole.
Report Stage: amendments made in committee are considered by the full house.
Third Reading: final chance for the commons to debate + then vote.

The bill is sent to the HofL, where it follows the same procedure.
If amendments to the bill are in the HofL, the HofC may agree them, reject them or amend them further.
A bill may go back and forth between the two houses, also known as ‘ping pong’.
If common ground is not found, the government must decide whether to accept changes made by the HofL, drop the bill or invoke the Parliament Act.

When a bill has completed all its stages in both houses, it must have Royal Assent before it becomes an Act of Parliament.
The Act of Union 1707 was the last occasion when a monarch, Queen Anne, attempted to refuse royal assent.
The powers of the monarch are now entirely symbolic and ceremonial – the PM is increasingly recognised as the ‘head of state’