Parliamentary procedure

based on custom, convention and precedent. The Speaker is the chief officer of the House of Commons, is elected by the MPs, and has full authority to interpret the rules and orders of the House. The Speaker is an elected MP who, on elevation to the Speaker's chair, ceases to be a political representative and becomes a neutral official. The Speaker protects the House against any abuse of procedure; may curtail debate in order that a matter can be voted on; has the power to adjourn the House to a later time: may suspend a sitting; controls the voting system; and announces the final result. The Speaker's position is very important to the orderly running of the House. Debates in Parliament follow normal patterns. They are usually begun with a proposal which, if supported, is then debated by the whole House. The matter is eventually decided by a simple majority vote after a division, which is called at the end of the discussion. MPs enter either the 'Yes' or 'No' lobby to record their vote, but they may also abstain from voting. The transactions are published daily in Hansard (the Parliamentary 'newspaper'). Legislative proceedings- the creation of new law and fundamental changes to existing law are the responsibility of Parliament. A government will usually issue certain documents before the actual parliamentary law-making process commences. A Green Paper is a consultative document which allows interested parties to state their case before a bill is introduced into Parliament. A White Paper is not normally consultative in this wide sense, but is a preliminary document which itemizes the details of prospective government legislation. A draft law, which has usually been drawn up by parliamentary and government civil servants, takes the form of a parliamentary bill. Private bills involve individual, corporate or local interests. Public bills may be introduced in either House of Parliament by the government or by private MPs in their personal capacity. some important private members' bills have survived such as Acts concerning homosexuality, abortion and sexual offences. Whichever procedure is used, the bill must have passed through both Houses at some stage. The Commons is normally the most important procedural step in this process. A bill will receive a formal first reading when it is introduced into the Commons by the government or a private member. After a variable period ranging from one day to several months, the bill is given its second reading after a debate on its general principles. the bill is then usually passed to a standing committee for detailed discussion and amendment. This committee stage is followed by the report stage, during which further amendments to the bill may be suggested. The third reading of the bill considers it in its final form, usually on a purely formal basis. But the government, in its turn, can introduce a 'guillotine motion' which cuts off further debate. After the third reading, a Commons bill will be sent to the House of Lords. It will then go through broadly the same stages again, except for those steps which are unique to the Commons. The Lords can delay a non-financial bill for two sessions, or roughly one year. It can also propose amendments, and if amended the bill goes back to the Commons for further consideration. This amending function is an important power, and has been frequently used in recent years. When the bill has eventually passed through the Lords, it is sent to the monarch for the Royal Assent, which has not been refused since the eighteenth century. After the royal signature has been added, the bill becomes an Act of Parliament and is entered on the statute-book as representing the law of the land at that time. the opposition parties to join in the legislative process, either by carrying amendments or sometimes by voting down a bill with the help of smaller parties and disaffected members of the government party. The procedure for passing private bills is generally the same as for public bills, although in practice most of the work is done by committees.

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The monarchy	\|	The parliamentary electoral system

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