Parliament, Britain’s legislature, comprises the House of Commons, the House of Lords and the Queen in her constitutional role. The Commons has 651 elected Members of Parliament (MPs), each representing a local constituency. The Lords is made up of 1,185 hereditary and life peers and peeresses, and two archbishops and 24 most senior bishops of the established Church of England. The centre of parliamentary power is the House of Commons. Limitations on the power of the Lords-it rarely uses its power to delay passage of most laws for a year – are based on the principle that the House, as a revising chamber, should complement the Commons and not rival it. Once passed through both Houses, legislation receives the Royal Assent and it then becomes law.
Parliament has a number of other means by which it can seek to control the executive. A wide range of parliamentary committees questions ministers and civil servants before preparing reports on matters of public policy. Question time gives MPs opportunities to put ministers questions, and there are a number of occasions when particular issues can be debated. Ultimately the House of Commons can force the Government to resign by passing a resolution of ‘no confidence’. The Government must also resign if the House rejects a proposal so vital to its policy that it has made it a matter of confidence. The proceedings of both Houses of Parliament are broadcast on television and radio, sometimes live or more usually in recorded and edited form.
General elections to choose MPs must be held at least every five years. Voting, which is not compulsory, is by secret ballot and is from the age of 18. The simple majority system of voting is used. Candidates are elected if they have more votes than any of the candidates – although not necessarily an absolute majority over all other candidates. The last general election was in April 2006.
