Theme B: Houses of Commons and Lords Flashcards
What are the two houses of Parliament?
The two houses of Parliament are the House of Commons and the House of Lords.
What is the main role of the House of Commons?
The main roles include debating, examining, proposing, and passing laws.
How many Members of Parliament are in the House of Commons?
The House of Commons consists of 650 Members of Parliament.
What is the House of Lords known as?
The House of Lords is also known as the ‘second chamber’.
What is a key role of the House of Lords?
A key role is to scrutinise and amend new laws and bills proposed by the House of Commons.
What is Hansard?
Hansard is the official record of debates and speeches in both Houses of Parliament.
What is the purpose of the House of Commons regarding financial bills?
The House of Commons makes decisions on financial bills, such as proposed new taxes.
Who can the House of Lords consist of?
The House of Lords consists of about 800 peers from various backgrounds, including hereditary and lifetime peers.
What is the role of select committees in the House of Commons?
Select committees scrutinise new laws and wider areas of government work to hold government to account.
What is the House of Lords’ expertise used for?
The House of Lords provides expertise in specific areas to identify any errors in proposed legislation.
Where does the business of Parliament take place?
The business of Parliament takes place in the House of Commons and the House of Lords.
What is the work of both houses of Parliament?
The work of both houses is to make laws, check the work of government, hold parliamentary debates, and deliberate on public issues.
What is the relationship between the House of Commons and the House of Lords?
Decisions made in one House generally have to be approved by the other House, creating a system of checks and balances.
What is Hansard?
Hansard is a transcription of debates and speeches in both Houses, serving as the official record of the work of government.
Who can scrutinise the work of government recorded in Hansard?
The work of government recorded in Hansard can be scrutinised by the general public and journalists.
What is the House of Commons?
The House of Commons is the publicly elected House of Parliament.
How many Members of Parliament are in the House of Commons?
The House of Commons consists of 650 Members of Parliament, each elected to represent their constituency.
What are the main roles of the House of Commons?
Main roles include debating, examining, proposing and passing laws; working in small committees scrutinising new laws and government work; making decisions on financial bills; and preparing questions for Prime Minister’s Question Time.
What is the role of select committees in the House of Commons?
Select committees scrutinise new laws and wider areas of government work to challenge and hold government to account.
Can the House of Lords block financial bills?
The House of Lords can consider financial bills but cannot block or amend them.
What is the House of Lords?
The House of Lords is the unelected House of Parliament, also known as the ‘second chamber’. It is independent from the House of Commons.
What are the main roles of the House of Lords?
Main roles include debating, examining, proposing and passing laws; working in small (select) committees to scrutinise and amend new laws and bills; and providing expertise in specific areas.
How many peers are in the House of Lords?
The House of Lords consists of about 800 peers from a mix of backgrounds, including hereditary and life peers, bishops, judges, retired MPs, and people appointed due to personal experience.
What types of peers are in the House of Lords?
Some peers have party allegiances while others are crossbenchers and are not affiliated to any party.
