Guides

Private Members' Bills are Public Bills that are introduced by back-benchers. Any MP can introduce a Bill on any day by informing the Speaker that he or she wishes to do so but there are a number of formal ways in which this can be arranged, some of which increase the chances of the Bill...Read More

Private Members' Bills are Public Bills that are introduced by back-benchers. Any peer can introduce a Bill on any day. Private members' Bills have to wait for time to be allocated to them via the Usual Channels. They tend to be debated during dinner breaks or on Fridays. A Bill without Government support is unlikely...Read More

All Ministers, of whatever rank, have a Private Office of four or more civil servants assigned to him or her on appointment. The lead figure in the Private Office is the Private Secretary who works closely with the Minister in discharging all his or her functions. The Private Office is responsible for the Minister's diary...Read More

The Privy Council, as body of government, predates the Cabinet and the existence of the Prime Minister by many centuries. Originally the private council of trusted advisers surrounding the sovereign, it has evolved to become a somewhat hidden instrument of government. It also has judicial powers (as the appeal court for some Commonwealth nations and...Read More

All Government Bills are programmed (also known as timetabling). After Second Reading, a programme motion is put to the House. A programme motion specifies the amount of time allocated to each of the following stages of the Bill in the Commons. It normally gives the date on which the Bill should leave Standing Committee as...Read More

The weekly 60-minute question session for Scottish ministers and the law officers allows MSPs to ask oral questions of relevant Scottish ministers on a pre-determined theme for 40 minutes, followed by a general question time lasting 20 minutes. This takes place on Thursday afternoon. Questions to Scottish ministers and the law officers can be tabled...Read More

Oral questions for answer by Welsh Ministers are tabled between five and ten working days before the time scheduled for questions to specified ministers. Thirty minutes per week are set aside for questions to the First Minister (normally on Tuesdays) and at least 15 minutes every four weeks is given over for questions to each...Read More

The following is a guide to normal recess dates: Christmas and New Year/Winter festivals – normally the last two weeks in December and the first week in January February half-term – normally one week in mid-February Easter – normally two weeks around Easter Whit recess – normally one week at the end of May Summer...Read More

Around one third of the EU's budget is dedicated to counterbalancing the natural effects of the internal market, by redistributing resources and economic development across the EU. The main policy instruments available for this purpose are the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the European Social Fund (ESF) – the 'structural funds'. Money is allocated...Read More

All MPs are expected to uphold the highest standards of probity and conduct. To this end they must declare their financial – and some other – interests in the Register of Members' Interests and they must abide by a the Code of Conduct of Members of Parliament. The system of standards is ultimately the responsibility...Read More

The 1999 House of Lords Act unseated all but 92 peers who inherited their right to sit in the Upper House. Some of these are office-holders in the House, while the majority were chosen in a series of elections held by each party grouping in the Lords. If a remaining hereditary peer dies, the right...Read More

This stage is normally at least two weeks after the end of the committee stage and lasts for a set number of hours, normally on one or two days. The Report Stage is so named because MPs are in theory considering the report of the committee. Indeed, in Hansard, the stage is introduced with the...Read More

This stage normally starts at least two weeks after the end of the committee stage and may last several days. The Report Stage is so named because peers are in theory considering the report of the committee. Report Stages take place on the floor of the House. Any peer can table and move amendments to...Read More

The composition of the Government is entirely in the power of the Prime Minister. When a Prime Minister rearranges Ministers, dismissing some and bringing in new blood, this is known as a reshuffle. Reshuffles normally happen about once a year, although major ones tend not to take place in the two years preceding a general...Read More

Ministers continue in office for as long as they have the confidence of the Prime Minister. Except during a reshuffle when they may not be re-appointed or are offered a demotion, Ministers are not generally sacked from their jobs, although they may be invited to tender their resignation by the Prime Minister. The resignation of...Read More

Respect provided the two most memorable moments of election night 2005. The first occurred when George Galloway, leader of the new party, beat Labour's Oona King in Bethnal Green and Bow. It was a dirty fight and there were accusations that Galloway used the paternal prejudices of the local community to win his victory over...Read More

Royal Assent is signified to a Bill by the monarch after it has been agreed by both Houses. Royal Assent is announced to the House by the Speaker. The Bill becomes an Act and, depending on its provision, may come immediately into force or may come into force on a date prescribed by statutory instrument...Read More

Royal Assent is signified to a Bill by the monarch after it has been agreed by both Houses. Royal Assent is announced to the House by the chair. The Bill becomes an Act and, depending on its provision, may come immediately into force or may come into force on a date prescribed by statutory instrument...Read More

Before the 1999 House of Lords Act, the Conservatives had a large in-built majority in the House. The problem of the Lords being able to veto all government legislation if it was so minded is covered by the so-called Salisbury convention. The convention (sometimes called the 'Salisbury doctrine') states that the Lords will not vote...Read More