The work of Parliament

Each parliamentary session begins with the “State Opening of Parliament”, when the Queen announces the programme of the work of Parliament for the coming session. After brief opening formalities the working day of Parliament begins with Question Time, lasting about an hour. Ministers are asked from 40 to 70 questions on any points MPs choose. But questions should be handed to the officials of the House at least 48 hours beforehand. The answer to the question is prepared for the ministers by civil servants. Usually the answers are given without supplying any information at all.

After the question-time the House of Commons goes on to the main debate of the day to which it can give 6 hours or more. It often concerns a broad issue of foreign or home policy or it may be the examination of the content of a bill. The starting point is the drafting of a bill. The preparation of the text of the bill takes many months with long consultations involving civil-servants and legal experts.

Proposals of a bill sometimes take the form of “white papers”, staring government policy, which can be debating before a bill is announced. “Green papers” are published when the government wants a full public discussion before it formulates its own proposals. When at last the draft receives approval of Cabinet it is ready to be submitted to Parliament. It should pass through both Houses of Parliament, usually bills are introduced first in the House of Commons.

Besides the Government bills, there are Opposition and private Members’ bills. Any MP has the right to propose his bill. Mostly they are business bills. Only 10 days in each session are allowed for the debates on the bills. Those 10 days are Fridays. There are twenty opposition days each session which allow the opposition to choose the subject for debate.

Parliament is not only a law-making body, it is also a law-enforcing body, that is it has judicial functions. The House of Lords serves as the final Court of Appeal for Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Government is formed from the party which wins the majority of votes. It is responsible for the administration of natural affairs. The Prime Minister is appointed by the Crown, but automatically he is the leader of the party which wins a majority. And all other ministers are appointed by the Crown on the recommendation of the Prime Minister. The number of ministers may vary from 50 to 80, all the ministers are members of two Houses, but the majority is the members of the HC. Naturally, the Prime Minister cannot belong to the HL.

Functionally ministers may be classified as:

- departmental ministers – who are in charge of government departments (they are known as Secretary of State);

- non-departmental ministers or ministers “without portfolio”. They include the holders of traditional offices: the Lord Privy Seal; the Lord President of the Council; the Chancellor of the Ducky of Lancaster;

- Ministers of State – appointed as subordinate to government departments where the work is heavy and complex and involves frequent travelling abroad;

- Junior ministers or Parliamentary Under Secretaries (assistant of Secretaries of State).

The central institution of the British Government is the Cabinet. It is composed of 20 ministers, personally selected by the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister can also require their resignation.