ABSTRACT
Approximately two-thirds of the time of the House of Commons is devoted to the consideration of proposals for legislation.2 In order to effect changes in the law, any proposal must receive the authority of parliament. Parliament legitimises policy objectives. A mere decision of parliament, in the form of a Resolution of the Commons, cannot change the law of the land.3 In order to become law, a legislative proposal must receive the consent of the three component parts of parliament: the Commons, the Lords4 and the Crown through the giving of the royal assent. In this chapter the process of scrutiny in the House of Commons is considered. Discussion of the legislative role of the House of Lords is to be found in Chapter 17.
