The Work of the House of Commons

The central role of procedure in the House of Commons is that every debate must relate to a specific proposal, or ‘motion’. An MP moves (proposes) a motion. The House debates it and finally decides whether to agree or disagree with it. A motion may propose that the House should take some action, or that it should express some opinion. When a motion has been moved, another MP may propose to amend it. And in that case his proposal is debated. When the House has decided on the amendment it goes back to the original motion which is now in a new form if an amendment to it has been accepted. A debate ends either when every member who wants to speak has done so, or when the House, with the Speaker’s consent, votes that it shall end.

At the end of every debate the Speaker asks the House to vote on the motion that has been debated. If there is disagreement, there is a ‘motion’ and Members vote by walking through corridors called ‘lobbies’ being counted as they do so. The names of Members voting are recorded and published. The ‘Aye’ (yes) lobby runs down one side of the outside wall of the chamber. The ‘No’ lobby runs down the other side. Six minutes after the beginning of the division the doors leading into the lobbies are locked. The practice of allowing six minutes before Members must enter their lobbies gives enough time for them to come from any part of the Palace of Westminster. Bells ring all over the building to summon Members to the chamber to vote. Members often vote without having heard a debate. They know which way to vote because Whips (or party managers) of the parties stand outside the doors. And Members vote almost automatically with their parties.

Except in holiday periods the House of Commons meets every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 2.30 in the afternoon, and normally sits until 10.30 p.m. Although it may continue to sit later still - often until 11 or 12 p.m. Occasionally it sits until one or two in the morning or even all through the night. On Fridays it meets at 9.30 in the morning and finishes at 3.30 p.m.

Many Members go to their constituencies, whether their homes are there or not, during the weekends. They need to see their local party organisers from time to time. They have also holidays of about four weeks over Christmas, two weeks each at Easter and Whitsun, and about eleven weeks -from early August to mid-October - in the summer.

Notes*

a motion, n. – пропозиція to decide on smth., v. - вирішувати на користь чогось an amendment, n. – поправка consent, n. - згода

to vote for/against - голосувати за або проти a constituency, n. - виборчий округ Whit Monday - день духів Whitsun (Whit Sunday) - день Трійці Whit week - тиждень після Трійці to sit in the parliament - засідати в парламенті

Talking Points*

When does Hoes of Commons work?

What are lobbies?

How is a motion moved and debated?

Do you have these traditions in your country?…

Maundy Money [2]. Maundy Thursday is the day before Good Friday, at Easter. On that Day the Queen gives Maundy money to a group of old people. This tradition is over 1 000 years old. At one time the king or queen washed the feet of poor, old people on Maundy Thursday. That stopped in 1754. Good Friday - the Friday before Easter Sunday, on which the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ is commemorated in the Christian Church. It is a day of fasting and penance [pe̱nəns - каяття]. Maundy Thursday = Holy Thursday [,mɔːndɪ'θəːzdɪ] - the Thursday before Easter, observed in the Christian Church as a commemoration of the Last Supper - великий четвер, страсний четвер (на страсному тижневі; у цей день роздають щедру великопісну милостиню [maundy money]). Holy Thursday - вознесіння (церковне свято; святкують на 40-й день після Великодня) - ascension [ə'sen(t)ʃ(ə)n] – for the Anglican Church - Ascension Day. Maundy Week - cтрасний тиждень, страсна седмиця (тиждень суворого посту перед Паскою у католиків і православних) Syn: Holy Week, Passion Week - the week between Passion Sunday and Palm Sunday - Пальмова неділя; Вербна неділя (церковне свято; інша назва - Вхід Господний в Ієрусалим; в цей день згадується урочистий вхід Ісуса Христа в іудейську столицю). - Palm Sunday is the Sunday before Easter. It is the day when Christians remember Jesus Christ's arrival in Jerusalem a few days before he was killed.

Unit 3

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