Chapter 9 Parliament

What is a constituency?

Body of voters living in a town or district that sends a representative to Parliament

Who are in the house of lords

Lords spiritual: 26 most senior bishops of the church of England. The lord temporals: life peers and hereditary peers.

House of Lords

Second chamber - consultative. -has no real power and only limited influence. - they can delay a bill, they cannot stop it becoming a law in the end , even if they continue to refuse it. Bills are discussed in more detail. Lords act as a form for discussion. Lords can act as a final check on any goverment which are becoming too dictatorial.

Palace of Westminster

The British Parliament works in a large building called the Palace of Westminster (popularly known as 'the Houses of Parliament').

The whips:

-Act as intermediaries between the backbencher and the frontbenchers of a party. -They keep the party leadership informed about backbench opinion. -They are powerful people because they have the ear of the party leaders. -They can influence which backbencher get promoted to the frontbench.

The state opening of parliament

-The 'Black Rod' knocks on the door of the House of Commons, demanding that the MPs let the Queen come in and tell them what 'her' government is going to do in the coming year. -They refuse her entry"the MPs agree to walk through the House of Lords and listen to the monarch in there. -MPs walk in pairs - each from 1 party.

working as MPs: traditionally for amateurs, reflected in timetable of main house of commons:

-Traditionally, MPs weren't supposed to be specialist politicians. There we supposed to be ordinary people who gave some of their time to keeping an eye on the government and representing the people (ideally from all walks of life). -Modern reality: Politics in Britain in the last half century has become professional (most MPs are full-time politicians). But the amateur tradition shows in hours of business (cause "they have other jobs to go to").

How a bill becomes a law

1.First reading. Formal announcement with no debate. 2.Second reading. Debating general principle of the bill and take votes 3.Committee stage. A committee of MPs examines the detail of the bill and votes on changes. 4.Report stage. The House reconsiders the changes. 5.Third reading. The changed bill is debated as a whole. 1 till 6 repeats in the House of Lords. The Commons will consider changes if made. When both houses agree the bill becomes a law.

The seating arrangement in the house of common:

1.There are two sides facing each other. One side is for the government and the other against. 2.These two sides are even more emphasized by a table in between the rows (here's the Speaker's Chair, this person controls the debate). 3.This seating arrangement encourages confrontation between government and opposition. 4.It also reinforces psychologically the reality of the British two-party system.

The Life Peerage Act (1958):

Allows for the appointment of non-hereditary life peers By the end of the 20the century so many life peers had been appointed that it was common for them to form a majority over the hereditary peers at most siting of the lords. Since many aristocrats are not interested in politics. The next step was taken in 1999 when the number of aristocrats with the right to sit in the lords was limited to 92(about 15% of the total members)

Ceremony with new speaker:

An elderly MP being psychically dragged, apparently against his will, out of his seat on the back bench by fellow MPs and being forced to sit in the large chair in the middle of the house of commons. Appointing a new speaker " traditionally dragging him literally into the chair " nobody wanted the job because back in the days the speaker needed to communicate the decisions directly to the king.

The speaker: '

Chairs and controls discussion in the House. Decides which MP is going to speak next. Makes sure that the rules of procedure are followed (if they not "demands a public apology or ban an MP from the House). Officially the second most important non-aristocrat in the kingdom after the PM. Addressed as 'Mr Speaker' or Madame Speaker

Hansard:

Daily verbatim report of everything that had been said in the hoc. Published within 48 hours.

Question time:

For one hour. No subjects for debate. The noisiest part of parliamentary day. MPs are allowed to ask questions of government ministers. Force the government to make certain facts public and to make its intentions clear. Opposition MPs have an opportunity to make the government ministers look incompetent or dishonest.

the Houses of Parliament

It also contains two larger rooms. One of these is where the House of Lords holds its meetings. The other is where the House of Commons holds its meetings. The British Parliament is divided into these two 'houses' and its members belong to one or other o f them, although only members of the Commons are known as MPs (Members of Parliament). The Commons is by far the more important of the two.

Task MPS:

MPs mornings are taken up with committee work, research, preparing speeches and dealing with the problems of their constituents (the people they represent). At weekend MPs are expected to visit their constituencies and listen to the problems of anybody who want to see them.

Backbenchers

Mps who do not hold a government post or a post in the shadow cabinet sit here.

My right honourable friend

The MPs in the Common house never speak to each other with 'you'. They will say: 'my right honourable friend' or 'the honourable member for Winchester'. These ancient rules were originally formulated to take the 'heat' out of debate and decrease the possibility that violence might break out.

The house of commons

The chamber elected by the people and the main legislature (law making institution) in the country. Is Made up of about 650 elected members of parliament one for each region of England wales Scotland and northern Ireland. Duties: 1. The hoc spends about half its time making laws 2.the hoc also controls the governments finances. 3.the hoc keeps a close eye on government administration.

650 MP in house of commons:

There is not enough room for all the MPs. There are about 650 of them, while there is seating for fewer than 400. MPs don't have their "own" place to sit. No names are marked on the benches. MPs just sit down wherever they can find room (on "their" side of the House). Only on important occasions, all the MPs are present.

Lord spirituals

They are the 26 most senior bishops of the church of England. chosen by the archbishops of York and Canterbury. - they play a full and active role in the life and work of the upper house.

Frontbenchers

The leading members of the governing party (ministers) + the leading members of the main opposition party sit here

Parliament is the British legislative body

The term parliament is actually quite a loose term the House of Parliament are actually made up officially three parts: The monarch The house of common The house of lords. It passes laws. It authorizes taxes and government budgets. give authority for the government to raise and spend money. It scrutinizes and investigates government administration. It debates current issues.

tabled'questions

are questions written down and placed on the table below the speakers chair two days in advance,so that ministers have time to prepare their answers.this way the government can usually avoid major embarrassment.

Hereditary peers:

inherit their title and consist of five ranks. - Duke - Marquees - Earl - Viscount - Baron Peerage may become extinct or fall into abeyance, but so long as there is an heir the title will continue.

The lords temporal

life peers and hereditary peers. Life peers: a person who is given honour of the title such as lord and a place in the House of lords as a reward for the good thing they have done for their country.

Ayes an Noes

voting for a proposal. for or against walking through 1 or 2 corridors at the side of the Houde one side for (the ayes) agree with the proposal. the other side for (the noes) disagree)