The Parliament The Parliament of Great Britain of Great Britain

The Parliament The Parliament was was

formed in formed in

17071707 by the by the Acts of Union Acts of Union The oldest The oldest

ParliamentParliamentUpper House Upper House House of House of

LordsLords

Lower HouseLower House House of House of CommonsCommons

QueenQueen

Parliament has three Parliament has three main functions:main functions:

Examining and challenging Examining and challenging the work of the government the work of the government

To debate the major issues of To debate the major issues of the day the day and passing all lawsand passing all laws

Enabling the government to Enabling the government to raise taxesraise taxes

The business of The business of Parliament takes Parliament takes

place in two Houses:place in two Houses: the House the House of Commonsof Commons

Their work Their work isis

Both Both must must

the House the House of Lords.of Lords.

similarsimilar

debate and debate and votevote

The House of The House of CommonsCommons

Meets at the Palace of Meets at the Palace of WestminsterWestminster

The Commons is The Commons is publicly elected publicly elected

MPs in the House of Commons MPs in the House of Commons are elected for a period of five are elected for a period of five

years years

SpeakerSpeaker The House The House

of of Commons Commons

elects a elects a speakerspeaker

Doesn't Doesn't take part in take part in

debate debate nor votenor vote

John John BercowBercow

since 22 since 22 June 2009June 2009..

The Commons The Commons Chamber Chamber

The House of The House of LordsLords Members are Members are

appointed appointed

by the by the Queen Queen

Life PeersLife Peers Baron or Baron or

Baroness, ¼ Baroness, ¼ are womenare women

Hereditary Hereditary Peers Peers

inherit their inherit their seatsseats

To become law …To become law … A Bill must be agreed by both Houses A Bill must be agreed by both Houses The members of Parliament must debate and The members of Parliament must debate and

vote, the Speaker reads the resultvote, the Speaker reads the result Second Reading, it is sent to a Committee for Second Reading, it is sent to a Committee for

detaileddetailed After days the Bill comes back to The House After days the Bill comes back to The House

of Commonsof Commons Third reading, the final text is approved or Third reading, the final text is approved or

rejectedrejected The Bill goes through the same stages in the The Bill goes through the same stages in the

House of LordsHouse of Lords When a Bill is given Royal Assent it becomes When a Bill is given Royal Assent it becomes

an Act of Parliamentan Act of Parliament