Parliament Explained: Basic Introduction to Parliament

2. Introduction to
Parliament
Nerys Davies
September 2015

3. Parliament is made up of:
a) House of Commons and House of
Lords
b) House of Commons and Government
c) Government and Monarch
d) House of Commons, House of Lords
and Monarch

4. What is Parliament?
House of Commons House of Lords
The Monarch
The Queen

5. Which TWO answers describe the
work of Parliament?
a) running Government departments
b) checking up on the work of
Government
c) being the highest court of appeal in
the UK
d) making new laws

6. What is the role of the
Queen?
• politically neutral
• signs off laws passed by Parliament (Royal
Assent)
• opens Parliament each session

7. The House of Commons

8. How can people become members of
the House of Lords?
a) Members of the public nominate them
b) An independent Commission
recommends them
c) The Prime Minister chooses them
d) Their titles are passed down to them
through their family
and elected into the
House
e) All of the above

9. The House of Lords

10. The core tasks of
Parliament
Makes and passes laws
(Legislation)
Holds Government to
account
Enables the Government
to set taxes

11. The Government
• the party with (usually) the majority of
seats in the House of Commons forms the
Government
• the Government:
– runs public departments (e.g. Home Office)
– proposes new laws to Parliament
– is accountable to Parliament

12. Parliament
(Westminster)
• Commons, Lords and
Monarch
• holds Government to
account
• passes laws
Government
(Whitehall)
• some MPs and some
Lords, chosen by the
Prime Minister
• runs Government
departments and
public services

13. Legislation

14. Types of legislation
• Public Bills are proposed changes to
general law
o Government Bills
o Private Members Bills
• Private Bills are local /one-off changes to
laws
• Hybrid Bills are a mixture of the above
• Delegated/Secondary Legislation

15. The House of Lords pass more
changes (amendments) to
legislation than the House of
Commons.
a) True
b) False
c) Both Houses pass approximately the
same number of amendments

16. Passage of a bill

17. Scrutiny of legislation
• Green Papers and White Papers
• Pre-legislative committees, Draft bills
• Passage of a bill
– Public Bill committees
– MPs and members of the House of Lords
• Act of Parliament
• Post-legislative scrutiny

21. http://services.parliament.uk/bills/

23. How many new select committees in
the House of Commons for 2015-
2020
a) 2
b) 3
c) 4
d) 5

24. Petitions Committee
• Provides a better link from the public
to elected representatives
• Joint system for government and
Parliament
• Must call for a specific action from
government or Parliament
• Time in Westminster Hall for debates
if appropriate
http://www.parliament.uk/get-involved/have-your-say/e-
petitions/

25. Select Committees
• scrutinise specific areas of work and Government
departments – House of Commons
• House of Lords more cross-cutting
• carry out public inquiries
• groups and individuals can submit evidence
• relevant Government Department is required to
respond to report

27. Select Committees webpages

30. Questions and debates
House of Commons Journal
14 May 1606 p309
“a strange spanyell of mouse-
colour came into the House”

31. Questions and debates
Parliamentary Questions
• written or spoken questions asked by MPs
and Peers, directed at the Government
Written Ministerial Statements
• Can be in response to oral questions not
answered or ways of informing the House
without coming to the chamber
Debates
• debates happen every day that the House
of Commons or the House of Lords are
sitting.

32. Other ways MPs can raise
issues?
Petitions
• usually a call on Government for action
regarding an issue (local or national)
Early Day Motions
• a published statement allowing MPs to
show their opinion on a specific subject

33. Who is the only person who is allowed
an alcoholic drink on the Floor of the
House of Commons?
a) Speaker
b) Prime Minister
c) Chancellor of the Exchequer
d) Chief Whip

35. Questions?

36. Where can I get
information?
• www.parliament.uk and @UKParliament
• Commons Information Office
020 7219 4272 hcinfo@parliament.uk
• Lords Information Office
020 7219 3107 hlinfo@parliament.uk
• Parliament’s Outreach Service
020 7219 1650
parliamentaryoutreach@parliament.uk