Scrutiny of Legislation
	In the U.K. party discipline means that effective scrutiny of government legislation through parliamentary debate on Bills is in reality very limited. However in the Isle of Man, without a party system, there is real opportunity for Members of the Keys to scrutinise and amend the legislative proposals which are put before it by the Government. The first opportunity occurs at the Second Reading stage of a Bill. At this stage the Keys discusses the principle that lies behind the proposal and a vote is taken on whether to proceed. Given the lack of a built-in government majority, the approval of the Keys is not always forthcoming. While many Government Bills do receive a Second Reading, some do not. Once a Bill has passed its Second Reading, Members have a further opportunity for scrutiny and amendment at the Clauses Stage. The Clauses Stage provides for in-depth analysis of the proposals in the Bill. It is usually taken by the whole House but sometimes, if a Bill is particularly complex, it may be taken by a committee of the House which will report back. At this stage Members frequently propose amendments. Subject to the constraint of having to remain within the scope of the Bill's long title, amendments may be to make the Bill a more workable piece of legislation, or to extend the Bill beyond that which the Government originally intended, or to change the original intention behind the Bill. Amendments can be the subject of vigorous debate and some of them succeed while others do not. However the fact that such an opportunity exists and can succeed provides the Keys with a valuable means of scrutiny. Having passed through the Keys, Bills are then considered by the Legislative Council. Again the Council can and does propose amendments to legislation, but generally amendments proposed in Council are to make the law more effective, rather than to undermine the intention of the Government. Nevertheless the Council can propose amendments to restrict the intended scope of a Bill, although the Keys have to endorse any amendment made by the Council. The Council's powers in the event of disagreement with the House of Keys are - if the mechanisms designed to reconcile the two branches' views fail - essentially delaying powers akin to those of the House of Lords in the U.K.