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The House of Comnions - main issues

■    The Speaker - Debates held in the House of Commons are chaired by the Speaker -the cłiief officer of the House of Commons. He or she is elected when the previous speaker retires or fails to get re-elected at a generał election. The Speaker is so called, because he or she has to speak to the Sovereign for the members on certain oecasions. The Speaker is politically neutral, and is required to act with scrupulous impartiality between Members in the House. He or she is a Member of Parliament (an MP) -chosen by a vote of the entire House.

■    TeDers - there are four tellers in the House of Commons, they count M Ps, when they vote.

■    Whips - a smali group of MPs appointed by their party leaders. They are responsible for discipline in their party and making surę MPs attend the House of Commons to

vote. They also convey backbench opinion to the party leadership.

■    By-elcction - held when a particular seat falls vacant between generał elections due to

the deatli or resignation of the sitting MP.

■    Steward of the C hildren Hundreds - an MP who wishes to resign applies for it. This is a job with no duties and no salary. It is ‘an office to profit under the Crown’ (a job given by the monarch with rewards attached to it).