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Draft bills

Draft bills are early versions of bills. The Government don't have to publish a bill in draft form, but they sometimes do to get feedback on what they are proposing. The process of examining a draft bill is known as pre-legislative scrutiny.

Pre-legislative scrutiny is often undertaken by specially-formed joint committees with members drawn from the House of Commons and the House of Lords. But it can also be undertaken by a select committee with a specific interest in the draft bill. Sometimes pre-legislative scrutiny is undertaken by both a joint committee and a select committee.

Contact an expert

Contact an expert

Contact: Public Bill Office