THE HOUSE OF COMMONS

The chamber of the House of Commons is similar to that of the House of Lords, except that the prevailing colour is green, while that of the House of Lords is red. The chamber is rectangular in shape. The Speaker’s Chair stands at the northern end, and in front of it is the Table of the House, at which the Clerk of the House sits. The benches for members run the length of the chamber on both sides, facing each other across a broad gangway known as the «floor of the House». The benches to the right of the Speaker are used by the Government and its supporters; those to his left are occupied by the Opposition and members of any other parties. The front bench on the Government side, known as the Treasury Bench, seats the Prime Minister and other ministers. They are known as «front benchers» Those who do not hold posts in the Government sit on the back benches and are known as «back benchers». The front bench facing the Government side seats the leaders of the Opposition. The whole arrangement of the House suggests the two-party system. The chamber has a gallery, part of which is kept for the use of «strangers» (i.e. the public). Opposite the public gallery is the Hansard and press gallery. Hansard is the stenographic record (Official Report) of the proceedings of the House. It records all words spoken in debate as well as voting members.

Seating accommodation falls far short of providing a seat for all members. The chamber was built to hold only 437 of a total 651 MPs. MPs do not have specially reserved seats and the Commons was purposely made too small in order to keep its club-like atmosphere. This creates better conditions for discussions than would be possible in a larger chamber.

Members of Parliament are paid a salary and an allowance for secretarial and office expenses; after a parliament is dissolved all seats are subject to a General Election.

The Speaker of the House of Commons is elected by the members from the members to preside over the House immediately after each new Parliament is formed. In spite of his title, the Speaker speaks very little. He does not take part in debates and in voting. He only votes in case of a tie, when he has the casting vote. However, the tradition of «casting the Speaker’s eye» before the MP can speak gives the Speaker considerable power. He is an impartial arbiter over Parliamentary procedure and the traditional guardian of the rights and privileges of the House of Commons.

The House of Commons meets every Monday, Tuesday , Wednesday and Thursday at 2.30 p.m. and normally sits until 10.30 p.m., although it may continue until well after midnight. On Fridays it meets at 11 a.m. and finishes at 4.30 p.m. The mornings are taken up with constituency work. Many members return to their constituencies during the weekends.

The life of Parliament is divided into periods called «sessions», each terminated by a «prorogation»; this means that all business that has not been completed is abandoned. Parliament can only meet again when it is formally summoned by the Queen. A session lasts from the end of October to roughly the same date of the next year. There are breaks for holidays at Christmas, Easter, Whitsun (the 7^th Sunday after Easter) and in summer. The periods when Parliament is not sitting are known as «recesses».

The beginning of a new session is marked by the State Opening of Parliament which takes place in the House of Lords, with a few of the leading members of the House of Commons standing close together at the end of the chamber opposite to the Throne, technically ‘outside’ the House of Lords itself. Amid great ceremony the Queen takes her place on the throne and reads out the Queen’s Speech, a document prepared by the Government, in which it lays down its programme for the coming session. A debate on particular aspects of the Queen’s Speech follows, usually lasting 5 or 6 days, after which Parliament begins with the work of the session. Except on Fridays, each day’s business begins with «Question Time». This is a period of 45 minutes during which MPs may address questions to ministers.

The House of Commons is the main place where legislation and other decisions of the Government are criticized and assessed. It is often referred to as «the Legislative» - the body which makes laws. A proposal for a new law is known as a «bill». The supremacy of the House of Commons over the House of Lords can be exemplified by the fact that the latter can only delay the passage of Public Bills for a maximum period of one year and cannot delay at all the passage of Money Bills. Though bills may be introduced in either House, the most important ones are submitted to the House of Commons first. Bills dealing with money are an exception and are always introduced in the Commons by a member of the Government, usually the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

According to custom each bill must have three «readings» in the Commons. The «first reading» is, in fact, an announcement that the bill is appearing. The printed text of the bill is then published and circulated. The «second reading» is the main debate on the general principles and objectives of the bill; at the end of the debate a vote is taken. This is an occasion when members of the two main parties vote in blocks. They do as the Whips (Party Managers) instruct them and there are few deviations. Proposals for amendments are made during this stage. After passing the second reading the bill must go to a committee for a detailed examination, in the course of which there may be proposals for amendments. The next stage is called «the Report Stage». The House now summarises the committee stage. The «third reading» is a final review and discussion of the amendments.

Next the bill must go through the same stages in the House of Lords. If the House of Lords should reject a bill passed by the Commons, the bill can go no further, but if during the following session of Parliament the Commons passes it again, in substantially the same form as before, it must go to the Queen for her signature. The royal assent has not been refused since 1707.

Voting in the House of Commons is known as a Division. Members vote by passing through the corridors, called lobbies, being counted as they do so. The Aye (Yes) lobby runs down one side of the outside wall of the chamber, the No lobby runs down the other. The Whips (Party Managers) of the parties stand outside the doors and tell the MPs how to vote. Members vote almost automatically with their Parties. In matters of procedure of their Chamber, the Lords use different forms from those in the Commons. In their divisions, «Ayes» and «Noes» become Contents and Not Contents.

The work of the Commons includes controlling finance. Before the Government can raise or spend money, it must have permission from the House of Commons. Another important function of the Commons is controlling the Government in power and scrutinizing its policies by asking questions, by holding debates and by committee work. Apart from these functions, the Commons also discusses the Government’s administrative policies - foreign affairs, educational problems, etc.

3.8. Explain these words in your own language:

«front benchers» «session»

«back benchers» «recess»

«strangers» «prorogation»

«Question time»

3.9. Answer the following questions:

1. Why was the Chamber of the House of Commons made too small?

2. How many times a week does the House of Commons meet?

3. Which House may a bill be introduced in?

4. Who can become a member of the House of Commons?

3.10. Find the differences and the things which are similar in the House of Commons and the House of Lords. Look at the sentences. Match whether they are true (T), false (F), probably true (PT) or probably false (PF).

1. Both chambers are rectangular in shape.

2. The arrangement of both chambers suggests the two-party system.

3. Both chambers were purposely made too small.

4. Both Houses have about 1,000 members.

5. Both chambers have galleries for the public.

6. Both Houses deal with making laws.

7. They can reject laws.

8. Both Houses meet four times a week.

9. Both Houses must be summoned by the Queen.

10. Members of both Houses are elected.

3.11. These words all concern aspects of politics in Britain. Use them to complete the sentences below.

Opposition House of Commons MP Government

Parliament House of Lords

a) The parties which are not part of the government are called the ___________.

b) The _____________ makes the important decisions about how the country is run.

c) ___________is made up of the various bodies which must approve the Government’s decisions, and has the power to force the Government to change its mind.

d) The ___________ is the place where the Government decisions are criticized and assessed.

e) The _______ is the chamber where changes in laws can be suggested.

f) A __________ represents one of the UK’s 651 constituencies.

3.12. Complete the passage below by choosing the best word from the list below for each blank space. Do not use any word more than once. Choose the singular or plural form and the article «a» or «an» as appropriate.

Date: 2015-12-24; view: 1568