How Parliament Works 8 February 2010

 About Outreach  The Election  Overview of Parliament  Role of an MP  Get Involved  Parliament and Government

 A service from the Houses of Parliament  Politically neutral  Aim is to increase knowledge and engagement with work and processes of Parliament  Not an alternative to MPs

Took place on Thursday May What was decided?  650 seats in House of Commons  UK Government  What about the House of Lords?

General Election 2010

 If a single party had won over 50% of seats: -automatically form Government  However, no party received over 50% of seats: ◦Largest party could have formed minority Government ◦Two parties formed a new Coalition Government ◦There could have been a re-election

 Coalition formed between Conservatives and Liberal Democrats  Cabinet formed  Shadow Cabinet announced  New Parliament convenes / MPs sworn in  Membership of Committees announced  The Opposition sought a new leader

House of Commons House of Lords Monarch

Makes and passes laws (Legislation) Holds Government to account Enables the Government to set taxes

 Parliament debates and discusses a huge range of subjects that affect us all  Health and housing, schools and pensions, jobs and training, the way in which we choose our politicians, the way our streets are policed, laws on immigration, roads and railways, energy sources  Your MP can raise issues that are important to you

 The democratically elected chamber of Parliament  There are currently 650 MPs All MPs are elected at least every 5 years

 Making and passing laws  Holding the Government to account  Raising key issues  Representing constituents  Approving the Budget and setting taxes

 The House of Lords is the second chamber of Parliament, often known as the revising House  There are currently 824 Members (as of February 2011)  These include: ◦706 Life Peers ◦92 Hereditary Peers ◦26 Bishops

 Scrutinise and make legislation  They play an important role in the passing of laws  Hold Ministers to account through questions and debates  Debate key issues at length and in detail  Scrutinise EU legislation

 A politically neutral role  Signs off laws passed by Parliament (Royal Assent)  Opens Parliament each year

The Prime Minister The Cabinet

The party or parties who can command the confidence of the House of Commons forms the Government The Government:  runs public departments i.e. The Home Office, NHS  proposes new laws to Parliament  is accountable to Parliament

Commons, Lords, Monarch Holds Government to account Passes laws Enables taxation Represents public Raises key issues Formed by the party who can command the confidence of the Commons Some MPs and Lords Runs Government departments and public services Accountable to Parliament Government (Whitehall)

In Parliament  Represents their constituency  Raises issues on behalf of constituents  Passes new laws  Scrutinises the work of Government In the Constituency  Helps constituents with problems  Visits groups and individuals to hear issues/ concerns  Represents constituents to various bodies  Campaigns

 Questions to Ministers  Adjournment/ Westminster Hall debates  Early Day Motions  Meetings with Ministers

As well as questions, debates, early-day motions  Select Committees  All-Party Parliamentary Groups  10-Minute Rule Bill/ Private Members Bills

All Party Parliamentary Groups (APPGs) are informal cross party groups There are ‘subject’ groups and ‘country’ groups i.e. Housing or Italy MPs and Lords form these groups to build their knowledge of a particular area There is a register of APPGs on the Parliament website APPGs are a useful way to identify MPs/Lords with an interest in a certain cause

 All UK laws decided by Parliament  Government and individual members can propose laws  However, majority of laws passed come from Government e.g. Welfare Reform Act

Lords Bill presented / First Reading Commons Second Reading Public Bill Committee Committee of the Whole House ReportThird Reading Bill presented / First Reading Second Reading Committee (whole House) ReportThird Reading After Consideration of Lords Amendments Ping Pong Royal Assent Regulations

You can get involved through lots of different ways including:  Contacting your MP, requesting that they ask a question, present a petition or raise a debate on your behalf  Contacting any Lord, requesting that they ask a question or raise a debate  Working with a Select Committee; submitting evidence, raising issues

 You can contact your local MP about any issue that affects you in your constituency.  You can request that your MP asks a question, presents a petition or raises a debate on your behalf.  You can find out who your MP is on the Parliament website

 You can contact any Lord (Peer) about issues that you would like Parliament to look at.  You can request that a Lord asks a question or raises a debate on your behalf.  It is useful to contact a Lord who has a particular interest in your issue. You can find out what individual Lords are interested in by looking on the Parliament website.

 Local MP in first instance  Identify & contact Parliamentarians with an interest  Be clear on your aims  Remember party & Government positions  Be positive and proactive

  Commons Information Office  Lords Information Office