<P> Acts of Parliament, also called primary legislation, are statutes passed by a parliament (legislature). Act of the Oireachtas is an equivalent term used in the Republic of Ireland where the legislature is commonly known by its Irish name, Oireachtas . It is also comparable to an Act of Congress in the United States . </P> <P> A draft Act of Parliament is known as a bill . </P> <P> In territories with a Westminster system, most bills that have any possibility of becoming law are introduced into parliament by the government . This will usually happen following the publication of a "white paper", setting out the issues and the way in which the proposed new law is intended to deal with them . A bill may also be introduced into parliament without formal government backing; this is known as a private member's bill . </P> <P> In territories with a multicameral parliament, most bills may be first introduced in any chamber . However, certain types of legislation are required, either by constitutional convention or by law, to be introduced into a specific chamber . For example, bills imposing a tax, or involving public expenditure, are introduced into the House of Commons in the United Kingdom, Canada's House of Commons and Ireland's Dáil as a matter of law . Conversely, bills proposed by the Law Commission and consolidation bills traditionally start in the House of Lords . </P>

Policy statement presented to parliament prior to introduction of bill