The House of Commons Overview

The House of Commons

• The House of Commons, also known as the Commons, is the lower house of the British Parliament.
• Members are called Members of Parliament (MPs).
• Each MP represents a constituency, an electoral district with roughly 70,000 voters.
• Constituency boundaries are revised every 10 years.
• Currently, there are 650 constituencies and MPs, with 533 in England, 59 in Scotland, 40 in Wales, and 18 in Northern Ireland.
• The debating chamber can accommodate about 400 members.

Parliamentary Terms and Procedures

• Historically, MPs had a maximum term, not a fixed one.
• The Prime Minister could dissolve Parliament at any time.
• In 2011, an act established fixed five-year terms for the House of Commons, to be held on the first Thursday of May.
• The Commons' debating chamber is rectangular with benches, five rows on each side, facing each other.
• To the right and left of the Speaker are members who support the government and oppose the government, respectively.
• The front benches represent Cabinet members (government) and shadow cabinet members (opposition). Backbenchers have no predefined roles.
• Different seating arrangements are based on the two-party system and the history of aggressive debates. Dispatch boxes are available for frontbenchers.
• The Speaker, chosen by the House, presides, calls on MPs to speak, orders votes, and stays impartial.
• MPs are paid a salary (around £67,000 in 2013) and receive allowances.
• Parliamentary sessions usually span October to October, with breaks.
• Prorogation ends a session; all unfinished business is abandoned. Parliament reconvenes only when summoned by the monarch.
• General elections disrupt normal sessions.
• The State Opening of Parliament is a ceremony where the Queen reads the Queen's Speech, outlining government plans.

Question Time and Voting

• Question Time occurs each weekday, allowing MPs to question government ministers.
• The government usually answers within a few weeks.
• Bills (proposed laws) go through three readings.
• The first reading is a formal announcement.
• The second reading involves a full debate.
• The third reading is a final consideration before voting.
• Bills, once passed, require Royal Assent from the monarch.
• Public bills impact national laws and are often introduced by the government with accompanying "white papers" that explain the ideas and needed changes. Private Members' bills concern local or private matters.
• Voting occurs using a "division," through corridors, with party whips directing votes.

Explore the key features and functions of the House of Commons, the lower house of the British Parliament. This quiz covers the role of Members of Parliament, constituency representation, and parliamentary procedures, including the history of term limits and the debating chamber layout.