ziConstitution is formed by:
Act of Parliament
Common Law
Convention
Parliament- supreme legislative authority
The Queen
The House of Commons- members are chosen by election in the whole country
The House of Lords
Once a Year those 3 are meet in the October
Parliament Legislates for:
The UK as a whole
Any part of country
The Channel Islands and the Isle of Man
Crown dependencies- not part of the UK
Have subordinate legislature - Queen, Privy Council [a group of people who advices Queen] local assemblies.
Function of Parliament:
To pass laws,
To provide money for the government [through taxes]
To carry on the work of the government
To examine in detail government policy
To debate major political issues.
Functions of The Government:
Parliament- Legislature
Government-[EXECUTIVE] cabinet and other ministers, government departments, local governments public corporations
Law courts- judiciary
After 5 years [usually 4 years] NEW ELECTION
Queen dissolves Parliament and opens.
Sessions last one year/ 160 days HoL.
The HoC:
St. Stephens Chapel.
The Honorable MP for:
Dispatch Box- only Ministers speak from there
Shadow Ministers [left]
Ministers [right]
Back banchers
House of Commons:
Is made up of 650 elected members
Each MP represents one area- constituency
They are elected at:
General elections
By elections
The chief officer - The Speaker
The role of The Speaker:
To keep order,
To supervise voting
To announce the results of voting
Has a 3 deputy speakers who help him.
Members of Parliament:
523 seats - England
72 seats - Scotland
38 seats - Wales
17 seats - Ireland
Sessions- one Parliamental year
The State Opening of Parliament [ in the HoL]
The Queen's Speech
..
“An Address to the Queen” - Parliament comment, give opinion on the whole life.
Meetings:
Monday- Thursday 2.30 PM - 10.30 PM
Friday 9.30 AM - 3.30 PM
The House of Lords:
The Chancellor [is a senior and important functionary in the government of the United Kingdom. He is the second highest ranking of the Great Officers of State and is appointed by the Sovereign on the advice of the Prime Minister.
Lord Spiritual Archbishops of Canterbury and York, 24 Bishops of the Church of England
Lords Temporal hereditary peers, life peers, Lords of Appeal.
Work of HoL:
Legislation
Examining government work
Examining European proposals
Hearing legal appeals
Parliamentary Day:
Questions to the Government
Other business (bills)
Meetings: HoL - 3 days a week- Thursday, Wednesday, Friday.
UK name from 1801
England & Wales 1301, 1542
Scotland 1603, 1651 1707- Scotland lost it's parliament
1999 - Scotland have it's Parliament again
N Ireland 1155, 1800, 1921/22