Debate
A debate is a formal discussion on a topic in
the House of Commons or House of Lords. Members
take it in turns to speak on the subject concerned.
The debate is strictly controlled by a set of
rules and is presided over by the Speaker in the
House of Commons. In the House of Lords, members
are responsible for controlling the debate themselves.
Deputy Speakers
The Speaker has three Deputies to assist with
Parliamentary Business. Up until the mid nineteenth
century the Speaker had no deputies but a series
of all-night sittings of the House of Commons
convinced MPs of the need for a deputy.
Of the three deputies one of them holds the additional
title of the Chairman of Ways and Means, the others
are Deputy Chairmen of Ways and Means. Like the
Speaker the Deputy Speakers are selected from
amongst MPs.
Deregulation Orders
The Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994
enables the Government to amend or repeal a provision
in primary legislation which is considered to
impose a burden on business or others. This is
done through a Deregulation Order. The relevant
Government Department must first draft a proposal
for the order and consult representatives of those
who are affected. After considering the results
the Government may change all or part of the proposal
or withdraw it completely.
Despatch Box
There are two Despatch Boxes in each House situated
on either side of the Table which separates the
Government from the Opposition on the Floor of
the House.
Ministers and Shadow Ministers stand at the Despatch
Boxes when they speak in the Chamber, and often
lean on the box and thump it for emphasis during
their speeches.
The Despatch Boxes in the House of Commons were
presented to the Commons by New Zealand after
the post-war rebuilding of the Chamber. Despite
their name, the Despatch Boxes are not used to
contain documents or despatches but hold Bibles
instead.
Devolution
Devolution is the decentralisation of governmental
power. The most recent examples of devolution
are the setting up of the Scottish Parliament
and elected assemblies in Wales and Northern Ireland
in 1998.
Dissolution
Dissolution is the official term for the end
of a Parliament. A Parliament can last for up
to five years. The Prime Minister may call a General
Election before this date but at the end of the
Parliament he or she asks the Monarch to grant
a Dissolution. Parliament is dissolved by Royal
Proclamation.
Division
The House of Commons votes by dividing. Those
voting Aye (yes) to any proposition walk through
the division lobby to the right of the Speaker
and those voting no through the lobby to the left.
In each of the lobbies there are desks occupied
by Clerks who tick Members' names off division
lists as they pass through. Then at the exit doors
the Members are counted by two Members acting
as tellers.
The Speaker calls for a vote by announcing "Clear
the Lobbies". In the House of Lords "Clear
the Bar" is called. Division Bells ring throughout
the building and the police direct all Strangers
to leave the vicinity of the Members’ Lobby. They
also walk through the public rooms of the House
shouting "division". MPs have eight
minutes to get to the Division Lobby before the
doors are closed.
Members make their way to the Chamber, where Whips
are on hand to remind the uncertain which way,
if any, their party is voting. Meanwhile the Clerks
who will take the names of those voting have taken
their place at the high tables with the alphabetical
lists of MPs' names on which ticks are made to
record the vote. When the tellers are ready the
counting process begins - the recording of names
by the Clerk and the counting of heads by the
tellers. When both lobbies have been counted and
the figures entered on a card this is given to
the Speaker who reads the figures and announces
"So the Ayes [or Noes] have it".
In the House of Lords the process is the same
except that the Lobbies are called the Contents
Lobby and the Not Contents Lobby.
Unlike many other legislatures, the House of Commons
and the House of Lords have not adopted a mechanical
or electronic means of voting. This was considered
in 1998 but rejected.
Divisions rarely take less than ten minutes and
those where most Members are voting usually take
about fifteen.
Domestic Committees
Both Houses are responsible for managing their
own staff, providing services for Members and
the administration of the Houses. There are five
Select Committees in the House of Commons, which
assist with the domestic responsibilities of the
House. They are:-
Accommodation and Works Committee
Administration Committee
Broadcasting Committee
Catering Committee
Information Committee.
Each committee has seven members and has the same
powers as other select committees.
The House of Lords has sub-committees with similar
functions.
They are:-
Administration and Works Sub-Committee
Finance and Staff Sub-Committee
Library and Computers Sub-Committee
Refreshment Sub-Committee
Duration of Parliament
A Parliament can last up to five years but after
that time there must be a General Election. The
Prime Minister can call an election before the
five years are over.
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