The structure & composition of the British Parliament.

GB is known as Mother of Parliament (P-t). Since the downfall of Rome GB was the 1^st to introduce a workable body, an assembly of elected representatives of the people with authority to resolve social & economic problems by free debate leading to making laws.

The P-t is the centre of British politics.

There are three elements of the Br. P-t: the Queen & two Houses of P-t (the House of Lords & the elected House of Commons).

These elements are separate, constituted on different principles. One of the fundamental principles of the unwritten Constitution is the sovereignty of P-t. It means that P-t has unlimited power in the legislative & executive spheres & that there is no institution that can declare its acts unconstitutional. It means that P-t can act as it pleases: to make, unmake or change any law; to destroy established conventions or turn a convention into binding law.

But in practice P-t doesn’t make use of its supremacy in this way.

The Parliament Act of 1911 fixed the life of a P-t at 5 years, although it may be dissolved & a general election may be held before the end of this term. If both Houses agreed, it could prolong its life beyond the normal period of five years without consulting the electorate. The life of P-t is divided into sessions. Each session usually lasts for one year & begins most often in October or November. The average number of sitting days for the House of C. in normal session is about 175. During most sessions the H. of L. sits on about 140 days. The two Houses of P-t share the Palace of Westminster. In modern practice the centre of parliamentary power is in the H. of C. But until the 20^th century the Lords’ power of veto over measures proposed by the Commons was, theoretically, limited.

The House of Commons is an assembly elected by universal adult, consists of 646 MPs. The Commons hold their seats during the life of a P-t. The chief officer of the H. of C. is the Speaker. He is elected by the House at the beginning of each P-t. His chief function is to preside over the H. of C. in its debate. The Speaker has 2 main functions: -representing the House in its relations with the Crown, the H. of L. & other authorities; -presiding over the House & enforcing the observations of all rules that govern its conduct.

The House of Lords consists of Lords Spiritual (2 Anglican Archbishops, 24 Bishops), 21 Law Lords & life peers. The major reform was in 1999 when the hereditary principle was abolished. The hereditary lords lost their right to sit in the House of Lords. It was initiated by the Labour government & intended to bring the H. of L. closer to the principles of democratic society when people win the seats to P-t through merit. At present the H. of L. consists of 675 members, but eventually the number of Lords will be reduced to 550 who will be elected by an independent committee for a term of 15 years, but not for life. In general the functions of the H of L are similar to those of the H of C in legislating, debating, questioning the executive. There are 2 important exceptions: members of the H of L do not represent constituencies, & are not involved in matters of taxation & finance. Each House has its leader. The Leader of the H of C is responsible for organizing the business of the H, to announce the following week’s programme to the House. In the absence of the Prime Minister the Leader acts as the spokesman at the ceremonial & other occasions. The Leader of the H of L has similar functions in the Lords & is regarded as the main Government spokesman in the House.

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