Understanding the UK Parliament: Structure and Function
The Structure and Function of the UK Parliament
The Role of the Speaker in the House of Commons
In terms of organization, it is important to mention the figure of the Speaker. Their importance lies in the fact that they bear the chairmanship of the House and represent it to the Crown and the House of Lords. The first action of Parliament is to elect the Speaker, who is proposed by the Cabinet and accepted by the opposition. This implies that they are elected unanimously and become a non-partisan figure, ensuring the impartiality of their functions. The Speaker directs discussions and parliamentary business, monitors the status of parliamentarians, and appoints the chairmen of various committees.
Parliamentary Committees in the UK System
A peculiarity of the British political system is the existence of parliamentary committees, which can be differentiated into four types:
- a) The Committee of the Whole House: This committee handles the most important bills, such as those related to finance, budgeting, and taxes.
- b) Standing Committees: These committees consist of Members of Parliament designated for that purpose. Some are specialized, while others are not. They are composed of a chairman and between 16 and 50 deputies and lack significant political power.
- c) Special or Select Committees: These are more recently created committees that emerged due to the increasing specialization required in parliamentary life and to control the executive and administration. Their composition ensures proportional representation of the House’s partisan makeup.
- d) Joint Committees: These are composed of members from both chambers, with the purpose of considering a specific issue or project.
Key Powers of the House of Commons
Among the most important powers of the House of Commons are:
- Legislative Powers: The Lower House has a monopoly on laws of a financial nature, as well as legislative initiative for the executive. A unique trait of the British system is the three readings of bills: the first is a formal procedure undertaken by the secretary of the Chamber, the second involves the committee stage and report, and finally, the third is the most important.
- Control over Management: This is performed through institutionalized bodies (Audit Commission, Budget Committee, Commission on Public Corporations, etc.), and specifically through questions that may be in writing, a practice extending the control of the Government. The role played by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration is particularly noteworthy.
- Control of Government Action: In a political dynamic of majority governments, control of the executive has a particular meaning. Although the Cabinet has the support of a majority of seats, the opposition can ask questions, demand a debate on a motion of censure, and resort to a vote of confidence. However, the rigidity of the party system and calculations show the opposition is often unable to defeat the Government. Therefore, the Opposition must leverage specific resources such as the debate on the Speech from the Throne, the Budget debate, the discussion of motions, motions to adjourn, and questions to ministers.
The House of Lords
Although the British system is bicameral, the upper house is distinguished from other assemblies by maintaining hereditary traits. It is non-elective and consists of three types of Lords, though not all attend the meetings, with absenteeism being a notable feature:
- Spiritual Lords: These include the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, the Bishops of London, Durham, and Winchester, and 21 other bishops of the Church of England.
- Temporal Lords: These are classified as:
- Hereditary Lords: There is no fixed number of hereditary Lords.
- The 16 Lords of Scotland
- The 28 Lords of Ireland
- The Law Lords: These Lords perform the legal functions of the House.
- Life Peers: These are appointed by the Crown in recognition of providing special services in politics or other fields of national life.
The House of Lords is chaired by the Lord Chancellor, who is also a member of the Cabinet and head of the Judiciary in Britain. The powers of this House were reduced after the reform of 1832, which made it subject to the Commons, and the Parliament Acts of 1911 and 1949.