GREEN AND WHITE PAPERS
Before a Bill even passes through Parliament, it goes 
through an extensive consultation process - organised by 
the relevant Ministry. Expert advice will be called in - 
and often the Government sets out its ideas in a Green 
Paper. This is an opportunity for any organisations 
interested in the contents of the Bill to make suggestions. 

This may lead to the production of firm proposals for the 
Bill, in the form of a White Paper (not all Bills are preceded by 
White Papers). This document forms the basis of the Bill itself. The contents of the Bill are then drawn up - or drafted - by Parliamentary Draftsmen, whose task it is to ensure that all the details are clear, and not open to misinterpretation.