Engaging with Parliament

• 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

In your groups, complete the quiz: Circle or tick the answers you think are

correct Don’t worry if you don’t know the answers

– have a guess!

House of Commons

House of Lords

The Monarch

Makes and passes laws(Legislation)

Holds Government to account

Enables the Government to set taxes

Politically neutral Signs off laws passed by Parliament (Royal

Assent) Opens Parliament each year

The democratically elected chamber of Parliament

There are 650 MPs All MPs are elected at least every 5 years

Making and passing laws Holding the Government to account 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 789 Members (as at Oct 2014) Members include:

◦ 678 Life Peers◦ 85 Hereditary Peers◦ 26 Bishops

Making and passing laws Holding the Government to account Debating key issues Scrutinising EU legislation

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 and Monarch

holds Government to account

passes laws

Government (Whitehall)

• some MPs and some Lords, chosen by the Prime Minister

• runs Government departments and public services

Provide specialist impartial information and briefing service for MPs, Peers, their staff, committees and staff of the Houses

Produce wide range of briefing material

Available online at www.parliament.uk under research publications

Ways to influence draft legislation: Green Papers White Papers Pre-legislative Committees Public Bill Committees MPs and Members of the House of Lords

In your groups, discuss:

What issue/subject would you like to raise at Parliament?

Parliamentary Questions• Written or spoken questions asked by MPs

and Lords, directed at the Government

Adjournment debates Westminster Hall debates Questions for Short Debate• Debates which happen every day in the

House of Commons and the House of Lords

Informal cross-party groups on many different subjects, e.g.◦ Cancer◦ Asthma◦ Carers

APPGs are a useful way to identify MPs/Lords with an interest in a certain issue

Set up to scrutinise specific areas of work and Government departments

Work carried out through public inquiries Groups and individuals submit evidence to

enquiries Inquiry report created and passed to

Government department

www.parliament.uk and @UKParliament

Commons Information Office020 7219 4272 hcinfo@parliament.uk

Lords Information Office020 7219 3107 hlinfo@parliament.uk

Parliament’s Outreach Service020 7219 1650parliamentaryoutreach@parliament.uk