How Parliament works

What Parliament does, its role in UK politics, and its relationship with Government, the Crown and Europe

• Checking the work of Government
• Making laws
• Debating
• Check and approve Government spending and taxation
• Parliamentary sovereignty
• Relations with other institutions

What happens in Parliament on a regular basis, including Question Time, Ministerial Statements and Early Day Motions.

• Prayers
• Question Time
• Urgent Questions
• Ministerial statements
• Debates
• Divisions
• What are Early day motions?
• Written questions and answers
• Written ministerial statements
• Judgments

Find out the difference between Bills and Acts, types of Bills and what stages they go through to become law.

• Why are new laws needed?
• Draft Bills
• Bills
• Passage of a Bill
• Acts
• Delegated legislation
• The Parliament Acts

Explanation of the main types of committees: Select, Joint and General.

• Select Committees
• Joint Committees
• General Committees (including Public Bill Committees)
• Grand Committees

Find out how Members of Parliament are elected to the House of Commons, how the Parliamentary constituency system works and what happens at the dissolution of Parliament.

• General elections
• By-elections
• Parliamentary constituencies
• Swearing in and the parliamentary oath
• Voting systems in the UK

Key business and ceremonial events - both regular and occasional - punctuate the parliamentary year.

• Addresses to Members of Parliament
• Calendar of sittings
• State Opening of Parliament
• Prorogation
• Recall of Parliament
• Lord Chancellor's breakfast
• Lying-in-state

We produce a series of free guides which you can read online, or contact us to request copies.

• Get Involved guide
• Getting your voice heard
• The House of Commons at work
• You and your MP
• What's happening in your Parliament?
• The Story of Parliament
• Easy Read guides
• House of Lords publications