<Li> Third reading: Summarising arguments are made, and a final vote is taken . If the bill is approved, it is passed to the Governor - General for royal assent . New Zealand has no upper house, and so no approval is necessary . </Li> <P> A draft piece of legislation is called a bill, when this is passed by Parliament it becomes an Act and part of statute law . There are two types of bill and Act, public and private . Public Acts apply to the whole of the UK or a number of its constituent countries--England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland . Private Acts are local and personal in their effect, giving special powers to bodies such as local authorities or making exceptions to the law in particular geographic areas . </P> <P> In the United Kingdom Parliament, each bill passes through the following stages: </P> <Ol> <Li> Pre-legislative scrutiny: Not undertaken for all bills; usually a joint committee of both houses will review a bill and vote on amendments that the government can either accept or reject . The report from this stage can be influential in later stages as rejected recommendations from the committee are revived to be voted on . </Li> <Li> First reading: This is a formality; no vote occurs . The Bill is presented and ordered to be printed and, in the case of private members' bills, a date is set for second reading . </Li> <Li> Second reading: A debate on the general principles of the bill is followed by a vote . </Li> <Li> Committee stage: This usually takes place in a public bill committee in the Commons and on the Floor of the House in the Lords . The committee considers each clause of the bill, and may make amendments to it . </Li> <Li> Consideration (or report) stage: this takes place on the floor of the House, and is a further opportunity to amend the bill . Unlike committee stage, the House need not consider every clause of the bill, only those to which amendments have been tabled . </Li> <Li> Third reading: a debate on the final text of the bill, as amended in the House of Lords . Further amendments may be tabled at this stage . </Li> <Li> Passage: The bill is then sent to the other House (to the Lords, if it originated in the Commons; to the Commons, if it is a Lords bill), which may amend it . </Li> <Li> Consideration of Lords / Commons amendments: The House in which the bill originated considers the amendments made in the other House . </Li> <Li> Royal assent: the bill is passed with any amendments and becomes an act of parliament . </Li> </Ol>

An act that has been passed by the westminster parliament