Parliament in Britain

Parliament in Britain is an ancient institution too, dating from the beginning of the 13^th century, though officially it was established in the 1265 by Simon de Montfort.

Parliament is the supreme legislative body of the United Kingdom. The function of the Parliament is legislating bills, making bills lawful. But it has judicial functions too. British Parliament is free to make any law it wishes. It could even prolong its own life if it chose to do so. Other functions of the Parliament are:

- to raise money through taxation so as to enable the government to function;

- to question and examine government policy and administration particularly its financial programme;

- to debate or discuss important political issues.

History knew “short” and “long” Parliament (the “short” lasted 2 weeks, the “long” 19 years), but since 1911 every Parliament is limited to a five-year term of work. The work of the Parliament is divided into sessions. Every session begins at the end of October or beginning of November and lasts 36 weeks up to the August. Annual opening of the Parliament by the Queen is a traditional ceremony.

British Parliament is composed of two Houses: the House of Lords and the House of Commons. The House of Lords appeared first as King’s Council of the nobility. The House of Commons organized later in the second half of the 14^th c. and “Commons’ were representatives of different local communities who were summoned to provide the King with money.

Because of its financial power, its ability to raise or withhold money, the House of Commons gained power not only in matters of finance but also legislation over both monarch and also the Lords.

The Houses work in different places, in the opposite parts of the Westminster palace. Both Houses are rectangular (not semicircular as most European Chambers) in shape with rows of benches on either side and raised platform for the throne and the Speaker’s Chair.

To the right of the Speaker are seats for the Government and its supporters, to his left – for the Opposition. So the debates are face to face. Facing the Speaker there are benches for Independent members, for those who do not belong to either of the two leading political parties.

There are 5 rows of benches in the House of Commons (4 in Lords’) on both sides of the House. Front benches on either side are the seats of the Government (Cabinet members) and Opposition (“Shadow Cabinet” members). So there is a division of MPs into front-benches and back-benches.

Each House enjoys certain rights to protect them in carrying out their duties. They are freedom of speech in debates, freedom of arrest, the right of access to crown (collective privilege for the Commons and individual for peers). The Commons have the right to exclude (disqualify) an MP and declare his seat vacant.

The proceedings in both Houses are public and visitors are admitted into the “strangers’ gallery”: the number of visitors is limited to 200, no cards or passes are required, but metal-control check is necessary. Proceeding of both houses are now published and televised.