In the modern world, almost every state has its own parliament, which is necessary to express the interests of different sections of society. This system was one of the first to appear in medieval England.
The struggle of kings and feudal lords
In the 13th century, the island kingdom often suffered from civil wars and conflicts. One of the reasons for this disorder was the struggle between the royal power and the feudal estate. The barons and lords wanted to increase their influence on the state in order to take part in the government of the country.
Even under King John the Landless (reigned in 1199-1216), in 1215, this document appeared with the participation of barons who wanted to obtain new legal rights and protect their own privileges. The date of the emergence of the English parliament is closely connected with the charter, which was only the "first sign" in the long process of strengthening the feudal system in the state.
Henry III
John's son, Henry III, took the throne in 1216 as a child. A regency council ruled for him. Growing up, Henry began to pursue a tough policy aimed at strengthening royal power. The barons and other feudal lords, accustomed to the order of things enshrined in the Magna Carta, were extremely dissatisfied with the behavior of the monarch.
In addition, Henry III surrounded himself with foreigners, including the French, who were not tolerated in London. This behavior led to a deterioration in relations between him and his own nobility. The only arbiter in this conflict could be the Pope, the spiritual father of all Christians. With his cooperation, Henry promised the barons that he would abide by the terms of his father's Magna Carta, and also agreed to establish a parliament where representatives of the aristocracy would sit. So, in 1258, the Oxford agreements were concluded.
According to this document, the formation of the English Parliament was to take place. The date of this event was not specified in writing, but the king promised that he would appear in the very near future. But very soon the Pope released the monarch from his promises. Henry needed money to wage wars against France and Wales. So he began raising taxes, breaking his promises made under the Magna Carta.
Baronial rebellion
In 1263, the barons, dissatisfied with the decisions of the king, declared war on him. This group was led by Simon de Montfort. After the battle of Lewes, Henry III, along with his son Edward, was taken prisoner. The victorious aristocrats convened a representative body in 1265. This was the date of the birth of the English Parliament. The meetings were held in
The date of the emergence of the English Parliament was marked by the fact that deputies from various classes gathered in the new representative body: not only the higher clergy and knights, but also the urban population. The deputies were also divided according to the territorial principle. When the date of the emergence of the English Parliament came, representatives of all the cities of the country went to. At the same time, London and five other important ports each had four representatives. Other cities sent two people each. This system, adopted in the thirteenth century, proved to be the germ of modern
Emergence of Parliament
Simon de Montfort came to power in the country. It was he who became the man who made possible the emergence of the English Parliament. The date of this event coincided with the time of the strengthening of his influence in the state. However, already in the spring of 1265, the legitimate heir Edward escaped from captivity. He gathered a loyal army around him, with which he tried to return the throne to his father Henry III. Because of this, the beginning of the process of the emergence of the English Parliament was in the shadow of a new
On August 4, at the Battle of Evesham, the rebellious barons were defeated, and Simon de Montfort died. Henry III came to power again. However, the process of the emergence of the English Parliament had already ended, and the monarch decided not to abandon this authority. With this king and his son, he did not pose a threat to the rule of the dynasty.
Significance of Parliament
The emergence of the English Parliament (date - 1265) played an important role in Now the inhabitants of various cities sent their representatives to the capital, who could directly inform the supreme authority about the problems of ordinary people. Therefore, in Great Britain, every citizen knows when the English Parliament came into being. The date of this event is celebrated annually in the country.
In 1295, Parliament began to convene according to new rules, which have remained virtually unchanged to this day. Representatives from every county now appeared in the House. The date of the foundation of the English Parliament (the year 1265) became one of those dates, thanks to which civil society was able to achieve recognition of its rights by the supreme royal power.
Functions of Parliament
The most important function of this assembly was to determine the amount of taxes. In addition, its deputies could send petitions addressed to the king. All this became possible only after these innovations took place (the date of the emergence of the English Parliament was already indicated in the text). The history of this institute is very rich. Deputies in different eras became the spokesmen for popular dissatisfaction with the authorities.
Since the 15th century, parliament has acquired the right to pass laws, which also had to be approved by the king. The interaction of these two branches of government made it possible to obtain the balance of interests, thanks to which today the UK has one of the most stable political systems in the world. It was in parliament that a new form of lawmaking appeared - billy. They were drawn up by deputies who coordinated the interests of different sections of English society.
The Houses of Parliament constitute perhaps the most popular and widely spread image of London, known and recognized throughout the whole world. In this famous palace are also many meeting halls and various parliamentary offices.
The Palace of Westminster, together with Victoria Tower and the Clock Tower - which houses the most famous clock in the world, Big Ben - form an unmistakable architectural complex. But the Towers and the Houses of Parliament are not only associated architecturally, but also in the democratic spirit that rules the political life developed in the House of Commons, for, if Parliament is sitting - British parliamentary debates constitute an exemplary political spectacle - the flag flies on top of Victoria Tower during the whole day. If the debates go on during the night - which quite often happens in the dynamic parliamentary life of Great Britain, especially if matters highly important for the nation are being discussed - a light burns above Big Ben in the Clock Tower. This light at night and the flag during the day-time signal for the people of London that the members of Parliament, each from his own political point of view, are watching over the nation's interests.
The Houses of Parliament can be visited by the public. The entrance is through the door located at the foot of Victoria Tower and next to the Royal Arch. Visitors start at the Royal Gallery and then go to the House of Lords. Here there is the historical Woolsack, where the Lord Chancellor takes his place to preside over the sittings. From here, visitors proceed towards the Central Corridor, crossing the Antechamber of the Lords. The historical frescos that decorate the walls of the Central Corridor are very interesting. Passing from here visitors arrive at the Antechamber of the Commons and then continue to the actual Commons itself.
At the end of the House of Commons is the Speaker "s Chair, on the right side of which the members of the parliamentary majority sit. The members of the groups that form the Opposition sit on the left, directly facing the Government benches.
Another interesting point in the Houses of Parliament is St. Stephen's Hall, which is decorated with very valuable frescos. From St. Stephen's Hall one reaches Westminster Hall. It is one of the oldest buildings in London.
Houses of Parliament
The Houses of Parliament are perhaps the most popular and widespread symbol of London, known and recognized throughout the world. This famous palace has many assembly halls and various parliamentary offices.
The Palace of Westminster, together with the Victoria Tower and the Clock Tower - which houses the most famous clock in the world, Big Ben - form an unmistakable architectural complex. The towers and the Houses of Parliament are connected not only architecturally, but also by the democratic spirit that rules the political life of the House of Commons. If Parliament is in session - British parliamentary debates are an example of a political spectacle - the flag flies atop the Victoria Tower throughout the day. If the debate continues at night - which is quite often the case in the dynamic parliamentary life of the UK, especially if issues of great importance to the nation are being discussed at the present time - the light is on over Big Ben in the Clock Tower. This light at night and the flag during the day is a signal to the people that the members of parliament, each with their own political point of view, look after the interests of the nation.
The Parliament buildings can be visited by the public. Entrance through the door located at the foot of the Victoria Tower and next to the Royal Arch. Visitors start at the Royal Gallery and then move on to the House of Lords. There is a historic woolsack here where the Lord Chancellor takes his seat and presides over meetings. From here, visitors enter the Central Corridor, crossing the Entrance Hall of the House of Lords. The historical frescoes that adorn the walls of the Central Corridor are very interesting. Passing by the Entrance Hall of the House of Commons, visitors enter the House of Commons itself.
At the end of the House of Commons is the speaker's throne, on the right side of which sit the members of the parliamentary majority. The members of the groups that form the opposition sit on the left, directly opposite the government bench.
Another interesting point in the parliament building is St. Stephen's Hall, which is decorated with very valuable frescoes. From St. Stephen's Hall you enter Westminster Hall. This is one of the oldest buildings in London.
Story
Scottish Parliament
Parliament of Ireland
The Irish Parliament was created to represent the English in the Irish dominion, while the native or Gaelic Irish had no right to elect or be elected. It was first convened in 1264. Then the British only lived in the area around Dublin known as The Line.
The principle of ministerial responsibility to the lower house was developed only in the 19th century. The House of Lords was superior to the House of Commons in both theory and practice. Members of the House of Commons were elected by an outdated electoral system that varied widely in the size of polling stations. So in Gatton, seven voters chose two MPs, as well as in Dunwich. (English), which completely went under water due to land erosion. In many cases, members of the House of Lords controlled small electoral wards known as "pocket boroughs" and "rotten boroughs" and were able to ensure that their relatives or supporters were elected. Many seats in the House of Commons were the property of the Lords. Also at that time, electoral bribery and intimidation were widespread. After the reforms of the nineteenth century (beginning in 1832), the electoral system was greatly streamlined. No longer dependent on the upper house, members of the Commons became more confident.
Modern era
The supremacy of the House of Commons was clearly established at the beginning of the 20th century. In 1909, the House of Commons passed the so-called "People's Budget", which introduced numerous tax changes that were disadvantageous to wealthy landowners. The House of Lords, made up of the powerful landed aristocracy, rejected this budget. Using the popularity of this budget and the unpopularity of the Lords, the Liberal Party won the election in 1910. Using the results of the election, Liberal Prime Minister Herbert Henry Asquith proposed an Act of Parliament that would limit the power of the House of Lords. When the Lords refused to pass this legislation, Asquith asked the King to create several hundred Liberal peers in order to dilute the Conservative Party's majority in the House of Lords. In the face of such a threat, the House of Lords passed an Act of Parliament that only allowed the Lords to delay legislation for three sessions (reduced to two sessions in 1949), after which it would take effect over their objections.
Organization of activities
Compound
The British Parliament is bicameral, that is, based on a bicameral system, and consists of the House of Commons and the House of Lords. However, as a nationwide representative body, parliament is a triune institution, which includes not only both chambers, but also the monarch, "Queen-in-Parliament" (eng. Crown-in-Parliament), since only the presence of all three elements forms in the legal sense of what is called the British Parliament. This connection is due to the peculiarity of the principle of separation of powers, which consists in the fact that in the system of state bodies of Great Britain such a division is both actually and formally absent: the monarch is an integral part of each of the branches of power. Thus, one of the political prerogatives of the monarch is his right to convene and dissolve Parliament. Furthermore, no law can take effect until royal assent has been obtained, that is, until it has been approved by the monarch. The Queen heads Parliament, but her role is largely ceremonial: in practice, she traditionally acts on the advice of the prime minister and other members of the government.
The term "Parliament" is usually used to refer to both houses, but sometimes parliament means its main part - the House of Commons. Thus, only members of the House of Commons are called "Members of Parliament". The government is responsible only to the House of Commons, and this responsibility is called "parliamentary". It is the House of Commons that exercises what is called "parliamentary control".
The House of Commons
House of Lords
General parliamentary procedure
Issues of procedure in the British Parliament are given extremely great importance, but unlike most states, there is no single written document that would fix the rules for the internal organization of the chambers - it is replaced by permanent rules (eng. Standing orders), developed by centuries of practice, in including sessional rules approved at the beginning of each session. It should be noted that these rules, acting in both chambers and acting as an analogue of parliamentary regulations in other countries, do not form a single legal act, but are a collection of various norms adopted by each chamber separately and at different times. In addition, the parliamentary procedure is governed by various unwritten rules - customs (eng. custom and practice) .
Convening and dissolving Parliament
The convocation of Parliament is the prerogative of the monarch, implemented at the suggestion of the Prime Minister within 40 days after the end of parliamentary elections through the issuance of a royal proclamation (English Royal Proclamation). Parliamentary sessions are convened annually, usually in late November - early December, and continue for most of the year with breaks for holidays. Each session begins with the throne speech of the monarch (eng. Speech from the throne), which, as usual, is compiled by the prime minister and contains the government's program for the coming year. During the Speech from the Throne, Parliament is in full session.
The extension of powers and the dissolution of parliament are also possible on the basis of a formal expression of the will of the monarch. Custom and numerous precedents allow the prime minister to propose to the monarch at any time the dissolution of parliament, without the monarch having any grounds for refusal.
After the completion of Parliament, regular elections are held in which new members of the House of Commons are elected. The composition of the House of Lords does not change with the dissolution of Parliament. Each parliament meeting after new elections has its own serial number, while the countdown is from the moment the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland were united into the United Kingdom, that is, from 1801. The current parliament is already the fifty-fifth in a row.
ceremonial
parliamentary sessions
The procedure for holding parliamentary sessions is strictly regulated. They begin with the so-called "hour of questions" (eng. Question time) to the prime minister and members of the government. Next, the parliamentarians move on to the most urgent cases, as well as government and private statements, and then to the main agenda, that is, lawmaking, which includes debate and voting.
Government statement (eng. ministerial statement) - an oral statement by a member of the cabinet of ministers on the domestic and foreign policy of the government - both current (oral statement) and planned (written statement). At the end of the speech, parliamentarians can respond to the statement or add their own comments to it, as well as ask the minister relevant questions.
Sessions of chambers in most cases pass openly, but the speaker has the right to order and holding of session behind the closed doors. To hold a meeting, the House of Lords must meet a quorum of 3 people, while in the House of Commons it is formally absent.
Meetings of parliamentary committees are held with a quorum of 5 to 15 members, depending on their number. Upon completion of work on any issue, the committee draws up a report, which is submitted to the relevant chamber.
Term of Office
Initially, there were no restrictions on the duration of Parliament, but the Triennial Act of 1694 (eng. Triennial Acts) set a maximum term of office of three years. The Seven-Year Act of 1716 Septennial Act 1715) extended this period to seven years, but the 1911 Act of Parliament (Eng. Parliament Act 1911) shortened it to five years. During the Second World War, the duration of the Parliament was temporarily increased to ten years, and after it ended in 1945, it was again set to five years.
Previously, the death of a monarch automatically meant the dissolution of parliament, since it was considered the caput, principium, et finis (beginning, foundation and end) of the latter. However, it was inconvenient not to have a Parliament at a time when the succession to the throne could be contested. During the reigns of William III and Mary II, a statute was passed that Parliament should continue for six months after the death of the sovereign, unless it was dissolved earlier. Representation of the People Act 1867 Reform Act 1867) revoked this provision. Now the death of the sovereign does not affect the duration of the Parliament.
Privilege
Each House of Parliament retains its ancient privileges. The House of Lords relies on inherited rights. In the case of the House of Commons, the speaker at the beginning of each Parliament goes to the House of Lords and asks the representatives of the sovereign to confirm the "undoubted" privileges and rights of the lower house. This ceremony dates back to the time of Henry VIII. Each chamber guards its privileges and may punish violators of them. The content of parliamentary privileges is determined by law and custom. These privileges cannot be determined by anyone but the Houses of Parliament themselves.
The most important privilege of both houses is freedom of speech in disputes: nothing said in Parliament can be the cause of an investigation or legal action in any body other than Parliament itself. Another privilege is protection from arrest, except in cases of treason, serious criminal offenses or violation of the peace (“breach of the peace”). It is valid during the session of Parliament, and for forty days before and after it. Members of Parliament also have the privilege of not serving on juries in court.
Both houses can punish violations of their privileges. Contempt of Parliament, such as disobeying a summons as a witness issued by a parliamentary committee, may also be punished. The House of Lords can imprison a person for any length of time, the House of Commons can also imprison a person, but only until the end of the session of Parliament. Punishment imposed by either House may not be challenged in any court.
Powers
Legislative process
The Parliament of the United Kingdom may make laws by its Acts. Some acts are valid throughout the kingdom, including Scotland, but since Scotland has its own legislative system (the so-called Scottish law (eng. Scots law)), many acts are not valid in Scotland and are either accompanied by the same acts, but valid only in Scotland, or (since 1999) by laws passed by the Parliament of Scotland.
The new law, in its draft form called bill, may be proposed by any member of the upper or lower house. Bills are usually introduced by the king's ministers. A bill introduced by a minister is called a "Government Bill", while one introduced by an ordinary member of the House is called a "Private Member's Bill". Billy is also distinguished by their content. Most of the bills that affect the whole society are called "Public Bills". Bills that give special rights to an individual or a small group of people are called "Private Bills". A private bill that affects the wider community is called a "Hybrid Bill".
Bills of private members of the House are only one-eighth of all bills, and they are much less likely to pass than government bills, since the time for discussion of such bills is very limited. A Member of Parliament has three ways to introduce his Private Member's Bill.
- The first way is to put it to the vote in the list of bills proposed for discussion. Usually, about four hundred bills are put on this list, then these bills are voted on, and the twenty bills that get the most votes get time for discussion.
- Another way is the "ten minute rule". Under this rule, MPs are given ten minutes to propose their bill. If the House agrees to accept it for discussion, it goes to the first reading, otherwise the bill is eliminated.
- The third way - according to order 57, having warned the speaker a day in advance, formally put the bill on the list for discussion. Such bills are rarely passed.
A great danger for bills is “parliamentary filibustering”, when the opponents of the bill deliberately play for time in order to make the time allotted for its discussion expire. Bills of private members of the House have no chance of being accepted if they are opposed by the incumbent government, but they are brought in to raise questions of morality. Bills to legalize homosexual relations or abortion were bills of private members of the House. The government can sometimes use the bills of private members of the House to pass unpopular laws with which it does not want to be associated. Such bills are called handout bills.
Each bill goes through several stages of discussion. The first reading is a pure formality. In the second reading, the general principles of the bill are discussed. On the second reading, the House can vote to reject the bill (by refusing to say "That the Bill be now read a second time"), but government bills are very rarely rejected.
After the second reading, the bill goes to committee. In the House of Lords, it is a committee of the whole house or a grand committee. Both are composed of all members of the House, but the Grand Committee operates under special procedure and is used only for non-controversial bills. In the House of Commons, a bill is usually referred to a sitting committee of 16-50 members of the House, but for important legislation, a committee of the whole house is used. Several other types of committees, such as an elected committee, are rarely used in practice. The committee considers the bill article by article, and reports the proposed amendments to the entire house, where further discussion of the details takes place. The device called kangaroo(Existing Order 31) allows the speaker to select amendments to discuss. Typically, this device is used by the committee chair to limit discussion in the committee.
After the House has considered the bill, the third reading follows. There are no further amendments in the House of Commons, and the passage of "That the Bill be now read a third time" means the passage of the entire bill. However, amendments may still be made in the House of Lords. After passing the third reading, the House of Lords must vote on the proposal "That the Bill do now pass". After passing in one house, the bill is sent to the other house. If it is passed by both houses in the same wording, it may be submitted to the sovereign for approval. If one of the houses does not agree with the amendments of the other house, and they cannot resolve their differences, the bill fails.
The barons did not want to fulfill the requirements of the knights, and King Henry III tried to use the contradictions between them. He obtained from the Pope a charter that freed him from all obligations to the discontented. And then in 1263 a civil war began. The army of the rebels consisted of knights, townspeople (artisans and merchants), students of Oxford University, free peasants and a number of barons who were dissatisfied with the existing order. The army of the rebels was led by Baron Simon de Montfort. London townspeople sent 15 thousand people to Montfort. The rebels took a number of cities (Gloucester, Bristol, Dover, Sandwich, etc.) and went to London. Henry III took refuge in Westminster. The royal army was commanded by the heir to the throne, Prince Edward. The army of the rebels approached the London suburb of Southwark. The townspeople rushed to the aid of Montfort, who was threatened with encirclement by Prince Edward, and the rebels entered the capital.
In May 1264, Montfort's army defeated the royal detachments (Battle of Lewes). The King and Prince Edward were captured by the rebels and forced to sign an agreement with them.
- On January 20, 1265, the first English Parliament met in Westminster. In addition to the barons, supporters of Montfort, and the higher clergy, it included two knights from each county and two citizens from each major city in England. Thus, in the course of the civil war, estate representation arose. True, it was mainly representatives of the city's upper classes who passed from the cities to parliament, but on the whole, the entry into the political arena of the townspeople and chivalry was of great importance. Peasants played a significant role during the war. It was this circumstance that frightened the barons, supporters of Montfort, and they began to move into the camp of the king.
- On August 4, 1265, the royal army defeated the army of Simon de Montfort (Battle of Ivzem). Montfort himself was killed. The struggle of disparate rebel groups continued until the autumn of 1267.
Henry III, who regained power, and then his successor Edward I did not destroy Parliament. It continued to exist, playing an increasing role, although in the early years of the reign of King Edward I, knights and burgesses were invited mainly to resolve the issue of taxes. For many of them, being in parliament was a rather burdensome duty, involving great expense and inconvenience.
King Edward I (1272-1307) relied on class representation, however, of a narrow composition, in which he found a good counterbalance to the claims of the secular and spiritual nobility. Active aggressive policy of the 80-90s of the XIII century. caused a severe need for money. The attempts of the king to collect taxes without the consent of parliament gave rise to the strongest discontent of the townspeople and knights. The barons used the dissatisfaction with the increase in taxes, and in the 90s of the XIII century. again there was a threat of an armed uprising.
King Edward I convened in 1295 a parliament modeled on the parliament of 1265 ("Model Parliament"), and in 1297 issued a "Confirmation of the charter" (the second version of the charter is called the statute "On the non-imposition of taxes"). This document stated that no tax would be levied without the consent of Parliament. The king recognized the right of estate representatives to approve taxes; this, however, did not mean that taxes could only be levied with the consent of the payers. The bulk of the English peasants and townspeople were not represented in Parliament: their consent did not matter. Taxes were voted only by knights, barons, clergy and wealthy citizens. It was easier for royalty to collect the tax voted by these estates than to raise money in other ways.
The social nature of the English parliament and its organization.
As already mentioned, in addition to the secular and spiritual lords, representatives of the chivalry and the urban elite sat in the English Parliament. England of that time was already characterized by a significant commonality of interests between the knights, who were passing over to the conduct of a commodity economy, and the upper strata of the urban population, a commonality that served as the basis for a strong union of these two estates.
At the end of the XIII century. the functions of Parliament have not yet been precisely defined. This happened only in the first half of the 14th century. In the 13th century, the competence of the parliament, which met once a year, and sometimes much less frequently, was reduced mainly to the fact that it approved taxes, was the highest judicial body and had deliberative rights. The structure of the parliament in the XIII century. was also extremely uncertain; there was no division into two chambers yet, although the special position of the nobility, secular and spiritual, was already clearly felt: they were invited to the session of parliament by the letters of the king, while the knights and townspeople were summoned through the sheriffs; in addition, the knights and townspeople did not take part in the discussion of all issues. In the first half of the XIV century. Parliament was divided into two chambers: the House of Lords, in which the higher clergy and secular nobility were represented, who received seats in the chamber by inheritance along with the title, and the House of Commons, in which both the knights of the counties and the city were represented, which was a feature of the English estate representation compared to, for example, French (tri-chamber structure of the Estates General).
The historical significance of the creation of Parliament.
The emergence of class representation was of great importance in the process of growth centralized state.
With the advent of parliament in England, a new form of the feudal state was born - a caste-representative, or estate, monarchy, which is the most important and natural stage in the political development of the country, the development of the feudal state.
The British Parliament is the oldest in the world. It originated in the 12th century as Witenagemot, the body of wise counsellors whom the King needed to consult pursuing his policy. The British Parliament consists of the House of Lords and the House of Commons and the Queen as its head. The House of Commons plays the major role in law-making. It consists of Members of Parliament (called MPs for short). Each of them represents an area in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. MPs are elected either at a general election or at a by-election following the death or retirement. Parliamentary elections are held every 5 years and it is the Prime Minister who decides on the exact day of the election. The minimum voting age is 18. And the voting is taken by secret ballot. The election campaign lasts about 3 weeks, The British parliamentary system depends on political parties.
The party which wins the majority of seats forms the government and its leader usually becomes Prime Minister. The Prime Minister chooses about 20 MPs from his party to become the cabinet of ministers. Each minister is responsible for a particular area in the government. The second largest party becomes the official opposition with its own leader and "shadow cabinet". The leader of the opposition is a recognized post in the House of Commons.
The parliament and the monarch have different roles in the government and they only meet together on symbolic occasions, such as the coronation of a new monarch or the opening of the parliament.
In reality, the House of Commons is the one of three which has true power. The House of Commons is made up of six hundred and fifty elected members, it is presided over by the speaker, a member acceptable to the whole house. MPs sit on two sides of the hall, one side for the governing party and the other for the opposition. The first 2 rows of seats are occupied by the leading members of both parties (called "front benches") The back benches belong to the rank-and-life MPs. Each session of the House of Commons lasts for 160-175 days. Parliament has intervals during his work. MPs are paid for their parliamentary work and have to attend the sittings. As it was mentioned above, the House of Commons plays the major role in law making. The procedure is the following: a proposed law ("a bill") has to go through three stages in order to become an act of parliament; these are called "readings".
The first reading is a formality and is simply the publication of the proposal. The second reading involves a debate on the principles of the bill; it is examination by parliamentary committee. And the third reading is a report stage, when the work of the committee is reported on to the house. This is usually the most important stage in the process. When the bill passes through the House of Commons, it is sent to the House of Lords for discussion, when the Lords agree it, the bill is taken to the Queen for royal assent, when the Queen sings the bill, it becomes act of the Parliament and the Law of the Land. The House of Lords has more than 1000 members, although only about 250 take an active part in the work in the house. Members of this Upper House are not elected, they sit there because of their rank, and the chairman of the House of Lords is the Lord Chancellor. And he sits on a special seat, called "WoolSack" The members of the House of Lords debate the bill after it has been passed by the House of Commons.
