Sharon Stanley

November 2011

An introduction to 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

Parliamentary Outreach

What is Parliament?

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What is Parliament?

House of Commons

House of Lords

The Monarch

What does Parliament do?

Makes and passes laws(Legislation)

Holds Government to account

Enables the Government to set taxes

The House of Commons chamber

Is the democratically elected chamber of Parliament.

There are 650 MPs.

MPs are usually elected every 4 to 5 years.

Fixed Term Parliaments

The House of Commons

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 in various campaigns

The House of Lords chamber

The House of Lords is the second chamber of Parliament, often known as the revising House.

There are currently 831 Members (as of May 2011)

These include:676 Life PeersConservative: 170 Labour: 239Liberal Democrat: 88 Cross Bench: 152 92 Hereditary Peers 26 Bishops

Reform of the House? – Lords Reform (Draft Bill) 17 May 2011 introduced

House of Lords

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

The role of the House of Lords

You can contact any Member about issues that you would like Parliament to look at.

You can request that a Member asks a question or raises a debate on your behalf.

It is useful to contact a Member who has a particular interest in your issue. You can find out what individual Members are interested in by looking on the Parliament website.

Contacting Members of the House of Lords

The Government

The Prime Minister

The Cabinet

Whitehall and WestminsterWestminster

ParliamentWhitehallGovernment

Close, but different

• Commons, Lords, Monarch

• Holds Government to account• Passes laws• Enables taxation• Represents public • Raises key issues

Parliament(Westminster)

• 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)

General Election 2010Conservative - 305

Labour - 253

Lib Dem - 57

DUP - 8

SNP - 6

Sinn Fein - 5

Plaid Cymru - 3

SDLP - 3

Green - 1

Alliance - 1

Independent - 4

How can groups get involved and engage with Parliament?

Questions to Ministers

Adjournment/ Westminster Hall debates

Select Committees

Backbench Business Committee

How a Bill becomes law

Lords

Bill presented /First Reading

Commons

Second Reading

Public BillCommittee

Committee of the Whole House

Report Third Reading

Bill presented /First Reading

Second ReadingCommittee

(whole House)Report Third Reading

After

Consideration ofLords Amendments Ping Pong Royal Assent Regulations

Can be used to:

Obtain information – stats, policies, positions

Press for action Raise constituency issues Challenge Government policy

Must have factual basis and relate to the running of a Government Department

Parliamentary Questions

Immobilisation of Vehicles – 10 October 2011

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she expects to bring forward legislation in respect of vehicle clamping companies; and if she will make a statement. [72289]

Lynne Featherstone: Clause 54 of the Protection of Freedoms Bill will make it an offence to immobilise, move or restrict the movement of a vehicle without lawful authority. In effect this will ban most clamping and towing by anyone other than the police, local authorities, bailiffs and other Government agencies. Subject to parliamentary approval, the Bill is expected to be enacted by May 2012. Our aim is to bring the ban on wheel clamping into force as soon as possible following Royal Assent.

Allow MPs and Members of the HoL to:

Raise constituency issues or matters of regional, national or international significance

Get the issue to the attention of a relevant minister

Get a response from the Government

Parliamentary Debates

Westminster Hall debate - Motoring Fuel Costs

Robert Halfon (Harlow) (Con): It is a privilege to speak under your chairmanship, Mrs Brooke. I am grateful to Mr Speaker for allowing this debate, and I want to congratulate FairFuelUK on its campaign for British motorists and for all the British businesses that have to buy petrol or diesel.Let us get one thing straight: cars, vans and lorries are the lifeblood of British industry. More than 34 million vehicles are licensed in this country, which is one for every two people. That is why the current cost of petrol and diesel is one of the biggest brakes on economic growth and is crucifying many families who are struggling to keep their heads above water. That is especially true in my constituency of Harlow, where high costs are hurting many small businesses. I want to look at the current situation, the record profits of energy companies and what is to be done. As The Sun newspaper said in its editorial last Saturday:“It’s welcome news that Parliament is to investigate why petrol prices remain sky-high even as the cost of oil plummets.While they’re at it, they can look at why gas customers face 19 per cent rises from a firm with annual profits of more than £1 billion.Consumers are being fleeced from all sides when buying essentials.It's time our MPs stood up for us.” I am here, with my colleagues, to stand up for motorists.

Backbench Business Committee

UK Armed Forces in Afghanistan – 9 September 2010

Impact of the Comprehensive Spending Review – 4 November 2010

Future of pubs – 9 December 2010 Prisoner voting (reform) – 3 February 2011 Disclosure and publication of documents

relating to the 1989 Hillsborough disaster (October 2011)

National referendum on the European Union (October 2011)

Debates this session

Questions

Questions???

www.parliament.uk

020 7219 4272 – Commons information020 7219 3107 – Lords information

Sharon Stanley – Outreach Officer West Midlands and East of EnglandEmail: stanleysh@parliament.ukTel: 07917 488842

Where can I get information?