A bill includes:
- A statement that that bill is compatible with the European Convention on Human Rights.
- A short title, which is the name by which the bill is usually known. For example: Haulage Permits and Trailer Registration Bill.
- A long title, describing what the bill does. For example: A Bill to make provision about the international transport of goods by road; to make provision about the registration of trailers; and for connected purposes.
- Enacting words, which are a formal statement that the bill will be a law starting “Be it enacted…”
- Clauses, which are the main content of a bill. Clauses can have subsections, paragraphs and sub-paragraphs. For example, a reference to clause 5(2)(a)(i) would be to clause 5, subsection (2), paragraph (a), sub-paragraph (i) of the bill. Clauses become sections when the bill passes into law and becomes an Act. Sometimes clauses will be grouped together in parts or chapters.
- Schedules, which come after the clauses and set out some of the details of how the bill will work in practice.