How many houses does the british parliament consists of
How many houses does the british parliament consists of
How many houses does the british parliament consists of
Оригинал:
Misha: I’ve learned something about the beginning of the British
Parliament, but I didn’t find anything about the two Parliament buildings.
Mark: Don’t listen to Black, Misha. He’s been teasing you! The British Parliament sits in one building which is called the Palace of Westminster. It’s also called the Houses of Parliament because there are two Houses: the House of Lords and the House of Commons.
Misha: So what’s the difference between the House of Commons and the House of Lords?
Mark: In the House of Commons MPs, or Members of Parliament, make all the important decisions and work on bills, which later become new laws. The Prime Minister is in the House of Commons too.
Misha: Why are MPs more important?
Mark: Because they represent all the people in the country. We have to have a general election at least every five years. People vote for an MP, and the party which has the most MPs wins the election and forms the government. Their leader becomes the Prime Minister.
Misha: I see, and what about the House of Lords? Rob: Oh, well, they don’t elect them. Did you know Black’s older brother is in the House of Lords? He’s a hereditary peer and Black’s jealous because there is no place in Parliament for him.
Misha: What’s a hereditary peer?
Mark: I’ll explain. Some people in the House of Lords just inherit their places
from their fathers and grandfathers. They’re hereditary peers. Misha: That’s not very fair, is it?
Mark: It’s a tradition. In the past there used to be a lot of hereditary peers but it has changed and now most people in the House of Lords are life peers. They get the title «Lord» or «Lady» for their personal achievements, and their children can’t inherit it. Some of them are very competent. For example, our famous ex-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher took her place as Lady Thatcher in the House of Lords in 1992.
Misha: What happens in the House of Lords?
Mark: In the House of Lords people talk about bills before they become laws and sometimes suggest changes to the House of Commons.
Misha: And what about the Queen? What does she do?
Mark: Oh, the Queen is the head of state. She and the House of Lords have to approve the decisions of the House of Commons. Before a bill becomes law the Queen has to say «La Reine le veut». The Queen uses Norman French as part of tradition.
Misha: And can the Queen disagree with a new law? Mark: Not really. The last time it happened was in 1707. Misha: Your system is a bit difficult. Mark: Well, we have been working on it for more than a thousand years.
Перевод:
How British Parliament Works
(Как работает британский парламент)
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The Houses of Parliament
Parliament, Britain’s legislature, is made up of the House of Commons, the House of Lords and the Queen in her constitutional role. They meet together only on occasions of symbolic importance such as the state opening of parliament, when the Commons are summoned by the Queen to the House of Lords. The agreement of all three elements is normally required for legislation, but that of the Queen is given as a matter of course to Bills sent to her.
Parliament can legislate for Britain as a whole, or for any part of the country. It can also legislate for the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, which are Crown dependencies and not part of Britain. They have local legislatures which make laws on the island affairs.
As there are no legal restraints imposed by a written constitution, Parliament may legislate as it pleases, subject to Britain’s obligations as a member of the European Union. It can make or change any law; and can overturn established conventions or turn them into law. It can even prolong its own life beyond the normal period without consulting the electorate. In practice, however, Parliament does not assert its supremacy in this way. Its members bear in mind the common law and normally act in accordance with precedent. The validity of an Act of Parliament, once passed, cannot be disputed in the law courts. The House of Commons is directly responsible to the electorate, and in this century the House of Lords has recognized the supremacy of the elected chamber. The system of party government helps to ensure that Parliament legislates with its responsibility to the electorate in mind.
The Functions of Parliament
The main functions of Parliament are:
• to provide, by voting for taxation, the means of carrying on the work of the government;
• to scrutinize government policy and administration, including proposals for expenditure; and
• to debate the major issues of the day.
In carrying out these functions Parliament helps to bring the relevant facts and issues before the electorate. By custom, Parliament is also informed before all important international treaties and agreements are ratified. The making of treaties is, however, a royal prerogative exercised on the advice of the Government and is not subject to parliamentary approval.
The Meeting of Parliament
A Parliament has a maximum duration of five years, but in practice general elections are usually held before the end of this term. The maximum life has been prolonged by legislation in rare circumstances such as the two world wars. Parliament is dissolved and writs for a general election are ordered by the Queen on the advice of the Prime Minister.
Public Bills which have not been passed by the end of the session are lost.
The House of Lords
The House of Lords consists of:
• all hereditary peers and peeresses of England, Scotland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom;
• life peers created to assist the House in its judicial duties (Lords of Appeal or ‘law lords’);
• all other life peers; and
• the Archbiships of Canterbury and York, the Bishops of London, Durham and Winchester, and the 21 senior bishops of the Church of England.
Hereditary peerages carry a right to sit in the House provided holders establish their claim and are aged 21 years or over. However, anyone succeeding to a peerage many, within 12 months of succession, disclaim that peerage for his or her lifetime. Disclaimants lose their right to sit in the House but gain the right to vote and stand as candidates at parliamentary elections. Peerages, both hereditary and life, are created by the Sovereign on the advice of the Prime Minister. They are usually granted in recognition of service in politics or other walks of life or because one of the political parties wishes to have the recipient in the House of Lords. The House also provides a place in Parliament for people who offer useful advice, but do not wish to be involved in party politics. In addition, senior judges are given life peerages as Lords of Appeal.
The House is presided over by the Lord Chancellor, who is ex-officio Speaker of the House.
The House of Commons
The House of Commons consists of 651 Members of Parliament (MPs) directly elected by voters in each of Britain’s 651 parliamentary constituencies. At present there are 62 women, three Asian and three black MPs. Of the 651 seats, 524 are for England, 38 for Wales, 72 for Scotland and 17 for Northern Ireland.
Officers of the House of Commons
The chief officer of the House of Commons is the Speaker, elected by MPs to preside over the House. Other officers include the three Deputy Speakers who are elected by the House on the nomination of the Government but are drawn from the Opposition as well as the government party. They, like the Speaker, neither speak nor vote other than in their official capacity.
Parliamentary Procedure
Parliamentary procedure is based on custom and precedent. The system of debate is similar in both Houses. Every subject starts off as a proposal or ‘motion’ by a member. After debate, the Speaker or Chairman ‘puts the question’ whether to agree with the motion or not. The question may be decided without voting, or by a simple majority vote. The main difference of procedure between the two Houses is that the Speaker or Chairman in the Lords has no powers of order; instead such matters are decided by the general feeling of the House.
In the Commons the Speaker has full authority to enforce the rules of the House and must guard against the abuse of procedure and potect minority rights. The Speaker has discretion on whether to allow a motion to end discussion so that a matter may be put to the vote and has powers to put a stop to irrelevance and repetition in debate, and to save time in other ways. In cases of serious disorder the Speaker can adjourn or suspend the sitting. The Speaker can order members who have broken the rules of behavior of the House to leave the Chamber or can initiate their suspension for a period of days.
The Speaker supervises voting in the Commons and announces the final results. In a tied vote the Speaker gives a casting vote, without expressing an opinion on the merits of the question. The voting procedure in the House of Lords is broadly similar, although the Lord Chancellor does not have a casting vote.
MPs’ Financial Interest
The Commons has a public register of MPs’ financial interests. Members with financial interest in a debate in the House mut declare it when speaking. If the interest is direct, immediate and personal, the MP cannot vote on the issue. In other proceedings of the House or in dealings with other members, ministers or civil servants, MPs must also disclose any relevant financial interest. There is no register of financial interests in the Lords, but Lords speaking in a debate in which they have a direct interest are expected to declare it.
Public Access to Parliamentary Proceedings
Proceedings of both Houses are normally public and visitors can watch the proceedings from the galleries of both chambers. The minutes and speeches are published daily in Hansard House of Commons and Hansard House of Lords the official report of debates. Each daily report also includes the answers to parliamentary questions put down for a written reply. The House of Commons also publishes a Weekly Information Bulletin which gives details about parliamentary affairs. Both Houses have information offices which prepare a variety of publications and answer enquiries from the public. And there is television and The Parliamentary Channel and, of course, government information on the web.
The records of the Lords from 1497 and the Commons from 1547, together with the parliamentary and political papers of a number of former members of both Houses, are available to the public through the House of Lords Record Office.
The proceedings of both Houses of Parliament may be broadcast on television and radio, either live or, more usually, in recorded or edited form. BBC Radio 4 is obligated to broadcast an impartial day-by-day account of proceedings when Parliament is in session. A weekly programme covers the proceedings of the select committees on departmental affairs. Many other television and national and local radio programs cover parliamentary affairs. Complete coverage is available on cable television. Also, most national and regional newspapers have parliamentary correspondents. Several national daily newspapers present a daily summary of the previous day’s proceedings.
How many houses does the british parliament consists of
The Law-Making House of Parliament. MPs. Candidates in Elections. Cabinet of Ministers. “Shadow Cabinet”
The British Parliament consists of the House of Lords and the House of Commons and the Queen as its head.
The House of Commons plays the major role in law-making. It consists of Members of Parliament (called MPs for short), each of whom represents an area in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. MPs are elected either at a general election, or at a by-election following the death or retirement of an MP.
Parliamentary elections must be held every five years, but the Prime Minister can decide on the exact date within those five years. The minimum voting age is 18, and the voting is taken by secret ballot.
The election campaign lasts about three weeks. The election is decided on a simple majority—the candidate with the most votes wins. An MP who wins by a small number of votes may have more votes against him (that is, for the other candidates) than for him. Many people think that it is unfair because the wishes of those who voted for the unsuccessful candidates are not represented at all. The British parliamentary system depends on political parties. The political parties choose candidates in elections. The party which wins the majority of seats forms the Government and its leader usually becomes Prime Minister. The Prime Minister chooses about 20 MPs from his or her party to become the Cabinet of Ministers. Each minister is responsible for a particular area of the government. The second largest party becomes the official opposition with its own leader and “Shadow cabinet”. Leader of the opposition is a recognized post in the House of Commons.
The House of Commons
“Front-Benchers” and “Back-Benchers”. MPs Address the House. 3 Stages of a Bill. A Bill Becomes an Act of Parliament. The Decisive Political and Economic Power
The House of Commons is made up of 650 elected members, known as Members of Parliament (MPs). The House of Commons is presided over by the Speaker, a member acceptable to the whole House. MPs sit on two sides of the hall, one side for the governing party and the other for the opposition. The first two rows of seats are occupied by the leading members of both parties (called “frontbenchers”), the back benches belong to the rank-and-file MPs (“backbenchers”). Each session of the House of Commons lasts for 160— 175 days. Parliament has intervals during its work. MPs are paid for their parliamentary work and have to attend the sittings. MPs have to catch the Speaker’s eye when they want to speak, then they rise from where they have been sitting to address the House and must do so without either reading a prepared speech or consulting notes.
Although there is some space given to other than government proposals, the lion’s share of parliamentary time is taken by the party in power. A proposed law, a bill has to go through three stages in order to become an Act of Parliament. These are called readings. The first reading is a formality and is simply the publication of the proposal. The second reading involves debate on the principles of the bill, its examination by a parliamentary committee, and the third reading—a report stage, when the work of the committee is reported on to the House. This is usually the most important stage in the process. The third reading is often a formality too; if six members table a motion, then there has to be a debate on the third reading. If the majority of MPs still votes for the bill, it is sent to the House of Lords for discussion. When the Lords agree, the bill is taken to the Queen for Royal assent. All bills must pass through both houses before being sent for signature by the Queen, when they become Acts of Parliament and the Law of the Land.
The House of Lords
Members of the Upper House Are Not Elected. The Woolsack. The Lords’ Main Power
The other House of the Parliament is the House of Lords. The House of Lords has more than 1,000 members, although only about 250 take an active part in the work of the House. This House consists of those lords who sit by right of inheritance and those men and women who have been given life peerages which end with the life of their possessors. Members of this Upper House are not elected. They sit there because of their rank. The chairman of the House of Lords is the Lord Chancellor and he sits on a special seat called the Woolsack.
The members of the House of Lords debate a bill after it has been passed by the House of Commons. Changes may be recommended, 10 and agreement between the two Houses is reached by negotiations. The Lords’ main power consists of being able to delay non-flnancial bills for a period of a year, but they can also introduce certain types of bill. The House of Lords is the only non-elected second chamber in the parliaments in the world, and some people in Britain would like to abolish it.
The division of Parliament into two Houses goes back over some 700 years when feudal assembly ruled the country. In modern times, real political power rests in the elected House although members of the House of Lords still occupy important cabinet posts.
Parliament
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Read a brief summary of this topic
Parliament, (from Old French: parlement; Latin: parliamentum) the original legislative assembly of England, Scotland, or Ireland and successively of Great Britain and the United Kingdom; legislatures in some countries that were once British colonies are also known as parliaments.
The British Parliament, often referred to as the “Mother of Parliaments,” consists of the sovereign, the House of Lords, and the House of Commons. Originally meaning a talk, the word was used in the 13th century to describe after-dinner discussions between monks in their cloisters. In 1239 the English Benedictine monk Matthew Paris of the Abbey of St. Albans applied the term to a council meeting between prelates, earls, and barons, and it was also used in 1245 to refer to the meeting called by Pope Innocent IV in Lyon, France, which resulted in the excommunication and deposition of the Holy Roman Emperor, Frederick II.
Historical development
Modern parliaments trace their history to the 13th century, when the sheriffs of English counties sent knights to the king to provide advice on financial matters. Kings, however, generally desired the knights’ assent to new taxation, not their advice. Later in the 13th century, King Edward I (1272–1307) called joint meetings of two governmental institutions: the Magnum Concilium, or Great Council, comprising lay and ecclesiastical magnates, and the Curia Regis, or King’s Court, a much smaller body of semiprofessional advisers. At those meetings of the Curia Regis that came to be called concilium regis in parliamento (“the king’s council in parliament”), judicial problems might be settled that had proved beyond the scope of the ordinary law courts dating from the 12th century. The members of the Curia Regis were preeminent and often remained to complete business after the magnates had been sent home; the proceedings of Parliament were not formally ended until they had accomplished their tasks. To about one in seven of these meetings Edward, following precedents from his father’s time, summoned knights from the shires and burgesses from the towns to appear with the magnates.
The parliament called in 1295, known as the Model Parliament and widely regarded as the first representative parliament, included the lower clergy for the first time as well as two knights from each county, two burgesses from each borough, and two citizens from each city. Early in the 14th century the practice developed of conducting debates between the lords spiritual and temporal in one chamber, or “house,” and between the knights and burgesses in another. Strictly speaking, there were, and still are, three houses: the king and his council, the lords spiritual and temporal, and the commons. But in the 15th century the kings of the House of Lancaster were usually forced to take all their councillors from among the lords, and later under the House of Tudor, it became the practice to find seats in the commons for privy councillors who were not lords. Meanwhile, the greater cohesion of the Privy Council achieved in the 14th century separated it in practice from Parliament, and the decline of Parliament’s judicial function led to an increase in its legislative activity, originating now not only from royal initiative but by petitions, or “bills,” framed by groups within Parliament itself. Bills, if assented to by the king, became acts of Parliament; eventually, under King Henry VI (reigned 1422–61; 1470–71), the assent of both the House of Lords—a body now based largely on heredity—and the House of Commons was also required. Under the Tudors, though it was still possible to make law by royal proclamation, the monarchs rarely resorted to such an unpopular measure, and all major political changes were effected by acts of Parliament.
In 1430 Parliament divided electoral constituencies to the House of Commons into counties and boroughs. Males who owned freehold property worth at least 40 shillings could vote in these elections. Members of the House of Commons were wealthy, as they were not paid and were required to have an annual income of at least £600 for county seats and £300 for borough seats. In most boroughs, very few individuals could vote, and some members were elected by less than a dozen electors. These “rotten” boroughs were eventually eliminated by the Reform Bill of 1832. As parliamentary sessions became more regular from the 15th to 17th centuries (legislation in 1694 eventually required that Parliament meet at least once every three years), a class of professional parliamentarians developed, some of whom were used by the king to secure assent to his measures; others would sometimes disagree with his measures and encourage the Commons to reject them, though the firm idea of an organized “opposition” did not develop until much later.
Houses of Parliament
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Houses of Parliament, also called Palace of Westminster, in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the seat of the bicameral Parliament, including the House of Commons and the House of Lords. It is located on the left bank of the River Thames in the borough of Westminster, London.
A royal palace was said to have existed at the site under the Danish king of England Canute. The building, however, spoken of by William Fitzstephen as an “incomparable structure,” was built for Edward the Confessor in the 11th century and enlarged by William I (the Conqueror). In 1512 the palace suffered greatly from fire and thereafter ceased to be used as a royal residence. St. Stephen’s Chapel was used by 1550 for the meetings of the House of Commons, held previously in the chapter house of Westminster Abbey; the Lords used another apartment of the palace. A fire in 1834 destroyed the whole palace except the historic Westminster Hall, the Jewel Tower, the cloisters, and the crypt of St. Stephen’s Chapel.
Sir Charles Barry, assisted by A.W.N. Pugin, designed the present buildings in the Gothic Revival style. Construction was begun in 1837, the cornerstone was laid in 1840, and work was finished in 1860. The Commons Chamber was burned out in one of the numerous air raids that targeted London during World War II, but it was restored and reopened in 1950. The House of Lords is an ornate chamber 97 feet (29.5 metres) in length; the Commons is 70 feet (21 metres) long. The southwestern Victoria Tower is 336 feet (102 metres) high. Elizabeth Tower (formerly St. Stephen’s Tower), about 320 feet (97.5 metres) in height, contains the famous tower clock Big Ben. Along with Westminster Abbey and St. Margaret’s Church, the Houses of Parliament were designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1987.
This article was most recently revised and updated by Kathleen Sheetz.