HOUSE OF COMMONS

The Speaker -> marszałek

VOTING SYSTEM - FIRST PAST POST

Electoral (wyborczy) system in constituency (okręg wyborczy). One MP is chosen in every constituency (no matter if second had only fewer votes, only FIRST will become MP). Each MP represents one area - constituency.

House of Commons - 650 elected members. They are elected:

1. General election (every 4 years, up to 5)

2. By-election (wybory uzupełniające) - if sb died, sb retire or sb got the noble title and gone to House of Lords

Members of Parliament have:

1. Salaries - it's their job

2. Lowences - if MP doesn't leave in London or near - it covers costs of accommodation, transport.

THE CHIEF OFFICER = THE SPEAKER

The Speaker is addressed Mr. Speaker or Madame Speaker (names are not important).

There are many traditions connected to the person of The Speaker. When he comes to the meeting he's dressed in a special way, few people accompany him.

The Speaker is chosen in secret ballot (sekretne głosowanie). It's very honorable title, a person should:

1. Be Member of Parliament for a long time

2. Be important person

3. Tradition: if somebody is reelected (becomes MP one more time) - he automatically continues to be The Speaker.

ROLE OF THE SPEAKER

1. To keep order (he can even suspend (przerywać, zawieszać) a meeting or ask somebody to leave)

2. To supervise voting (in Poland in order to vote they have to raise their hand and press the button). In England it's different: there are two lobbies - lobby “yes” and lobby “no”, so there's no doubt how somebody votes.

3. To announce the results of voting - The Speaker usually does not vote (he votes at only one occasion - if number of votes for and against is the same his voice is deciding, but it's very rare situation).

*Clerk of the House of Commons - they advise the Speaker. They are not Members of Parliament, it's their job and they are paid.

TRADITION: DRAGGING TO THE CHAIR

Long time ago one of Speaker's jobs was informing monarch about decisions taken by parliament. Sometimes decisions were different than monarch's wishes, so nobody wanted to be a Speaker and nobody wanted to inform the monarch, so they dragged him to the chair and it became a tradition.

MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT since 2000:

1. More than 500 - represent England

2. About 60 - represent Scotland (they used to have a little more before 2000)

3. 40 - Wales (little more than before)

4. 18 - Ireland

ST. STEPHEN CHAPEL - House of Commons meets there

1. Members of Parliament can sit wherever they want to

2. They don't use names they can say: “The honorable member of…”

3. Dispatch box (mównica)- a place from ministers and shadow ministers speak (they get up and go to the Dispatch box):

• Right side (government) - 1^st row - ministers

• Left side (opposition) - 1^st row - shadow ministers (Shadow Cabinet is formed by opposition. E.g. if Minister of Education wants to pass law - Shadow Minister of Education will criticize the law, because he is also well-informed about this department and is able to give at least few arguments. Shadow ministers are also paid for their job.

4. Backbenchers - other people. They get up and speak where they sit.

5. Galleries (balcony) - they are above, anyone can listen to the debate.

TRADITION: RED LINE

Long time ago people were bringing weapons with them and sometimes they started to fight. So there was a red line, that MPs couldn't cross (so they couldn't fight) and they still can't.

Cameras were allowed in late '80.

SESSION = 1 YEAR

Everything should be done by this session. If something is not finished - it's dropped and it can be started in the next session from the very beginning.

PASSING LAWS

1. House of Commons - votes

2. House of Lords - votes

3. Queen - signs

FINANCIAL BILLS (ustawy)

1. House of Commons - votes

2. Queen - signs

WHAT IF HOUSE OF COMMONS VOTES FOR AND HOUSE OF LORDS REJECTS THE LAW?

Then this bill is not totally stopped, but little delayed. It is not possible to do it in one session, so it comes back to the House of Commons in next session. Then if House of Commons votes for, the bill goes to the Queen and is signed.

CONCLUSION: House of Lords cannot stop any law, it can only delay.

THE STATE OPENING OF PARLIAMENT (October).

Queen's speech prepared by Prime Minister and Cabinet.

PARLIAMENTARY MEETINGS

1. Monday-Thursday - 14.30-22.30 (it can last longer) - in afternoon, because mornings are reserved for committees

2. Friday - 9.30-15.30 - on Friday MP should be in his own constituency.

KULTURA - WYKŁAD - 18.10.2011

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