§ Lord Marlesfordasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will list those occasions since the war on which Royal Assent to a Bill has been given prior to a Bill passing all its stages through both Houses of Parliament. [HL3304]
§ The Lord Chancellor (Lord Irvine of Lairg)The Royal Assent Act 1967 provides that Royal Assent is achieved when it is either (a) "pronounced in the presence of both Houses in the House of Lords" or (b) "notified to each House of Parliament, sitting separately by the Speaker of that House". There have been no occasions on which Royal Assent has been given prior to a Bill passing through all its stages in both Houses.
§ Lord Marlesfordasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will set out in detail the normal procedures for obtaining the Royal Assent to a Bill, indicating which documents are submitted to Her Majesty for this purpose and which documents Her Majesty is required to sign before a Bill becomes an Act. [HL3306]
§ The Lord ChancellorThe procedure is set out in Erskine May,Parliamentary Practice (22nd Edition) pages 563–565 (copy attached).
I draw the noble Lord's attention to the following passage: "When Royal Assent is wanted, the Lord Chancellor submits to the Sovereign a list of those bills which are ready for Royal Assent or which are likely to have passed by the time Royal Assent is to be declared. The list is prepared by the Clerk of the Parliaments" (p563). It is this list, in the form of Letters Patent prepared by the Crown Office, that the Queen signs.