Guides

Debates in the Scottish parliament are on a motion tabled by a minister or other MSP. In most debates, most parties will table at least one amendment to the motion to reflect their views. Debates allow the parliament to deliberate on pertinent issues that affect Scotland or Scottish people. A spokesperson is called from each...Read More

Debates in the Welsh Assembly are on a motion tabled either by a Minister or by a back-bench AM. In most debates, most parties will table at least one amendment to the motion to reflect their views. Debates allow the Assembly to deliberate on pertinent issues that affect Wales or Welsh people. A spokesperson from...Read More

Debates in the House take place on a motion to which amendments may be tabled. The motion for a debate appears on the Order Paper as does the text of any amendment. The Speaker selects which amendment will be debated. A substantive motion allows for a division to take place, if necessary, to demonstrate the...Read More

The majority of proposals are nodded through in the ways outlined above, or agreement can be reached at the council level without the need for matters to go to a vote. However, if agreement cannot be reached, the treaties provide for disagreements to be resolved by votes of the ministers present. There are three procedures...Read More

If a division is called later than 10pm then it is deferred. This means that instead of the vote taking place immediately, MPs will be able to vote during a set period at a later date. This is normally on the following Wednesday afternoon. MPs vote by appearing in person at a specified place and...Read More

The Democratic Unionist party (DUP) has recovered from a period of scandal as it continues its cautious powersharing arrangement with Sinn Fein. The sexual and financial allegations faced by leader Peter Robinson's wife Iris Robinson threatened to leave a deep-seated trauma on the DUP in early 2010. But Robinson's decision to temporarily stand down from...Read More

Each Secretary of State, leading a team of Ministers, has responsibility for a Government Department, the responsibilities of which are determined by the Prime Minister. Departments headed by Ministers are known as 'Ministerial Departments,' differentiating them from Non-ministerial Departments such as Ordnance Survey or the Inland Revenue.Read More

A draft Bill is a preliminary form of a Bill. It may contain all or only parts of the Bill the Government wishes to introduce. Draft Bills are normally considered by a joint committee of MPs and peers set up for this purpose, which reports after taking evidence from interested groups. The Government does not...Read More

Early Day Motions (universally known in Parliament as 'EDMs') are best thought of as petitions put forward by MPs on specific subjects. They are printed in the official report and other MPs are invited to add their names in support. Technically, EDMs call for the topic to be debated at the earliest time but the...Read More

The Commons is made up of 646 elected members of Parliament, known as MPs. They are elected by the first-past-the-post system, which is also known as the plural majority system. Elections must be held at least every five years but the actual date is set by the sitting Prime Minister who asks the monarch to...Read More

By Jonathan Moore The Election The European elections this year represent the largest trans-national elections in history. From the 27 member states of the European Union (EU) 736 MEPs will be elected by an electorate of more than 500 million over a period of three days between June 4-7. In the UK, elections are traditionally...Read More

The parliament is made up of 129 elected MSPs, elected by the additional member system, a form of proportional representation. Elections are normally held every four years on the first Thursday in May. Anyone who can stand for election to the House of Commons may stand for election to the parliament. Peers may also stand....Read More

The Assembly is made up of 60 Assembly Members (known as AMs), elected by the Additional Member System, a form of proportional representation. Elections are normally held every four years on the first Thursday in May. Anyone who can stand for election to the House of Commons may stand for election to the Welsh Assembly....Read More

The principal objective of the EU – when first constituted as the EEC – was to make war in Europe impossible not only by developing a common system of law, but also by making the member states' economies completely interdependent. This has been pursued by the creation of a single market and subsequently the establishment...Read More

The EU agreed to begin proceedings to admit a large number of new member states from Eastern and Central Europe in 1997, and the accession process began in 1998. Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, the Slovak Republic, and Slovenia joined the EU on May 1st 2004. Whilst the EU had...Read More

There are three sources of law within the EU legal system: 'Primary legislation' – the treaties and agreements of similar status 'Secondary legislation' – laws made under the powers established by the treaties Case law – the accumulated body of legal decisions built up by the European courts Together, this body of jurisprudence constitutes the...Read More

The EU's legislative process is more complex than that which operates at Westminster – this reflects the institutional arrangement, the international character of the EU and the extent of diversity that must be accommodated in the EU's actions, and the shifting basis of the EU's 'constitution' (the treaties). For a proposal to become law, the...Read More

The European Commission was created by the 1967 Merger Treaty, replacing the 'High Authorities' that administered the ECSC, EURATOM and the early EEC. The European Commission is sometimes called the civil service of the EU, but it is also sometimes called the government of the EU. This seemingly paradoxical situation stems from the unusual position...Read More

The European Commission was created by the 1967 Merger Treaty, replacing the 'High Authorities' that administered the ECSC, EURATOM and the early EEC. The European Commission is sometimes called the civil service of the EU, but it is also sometimes called the government of the EU. This seemingly paradoxical situation stems from the unusual position...Read More