## Learning Outcomes

- Understand how the UK Parliament is structured and why it has two Houses
- Identify key differences between the House of Commons and the House of Lords
- Recall what MPs and peers do, including how they are chosen
- Understand how laws (Bills) are debated, amended, and approved in Parliament
- Know how the public can watch Parliament and contact elected representatives

## Life in the UK Test Syllabus

For the Life in the UK Test, you are expected to understand the structure and role of the UK Parliament, with a focus on the following syllabus points:

- Explain why the House of Commons is considered the more important chamber (it is elected)
- Know what an MP is, what a constituency is, and what MPs do for constituents and for Parliament
- Identify what the House of Lords does, how peers are selected, and why the Lords is often more independent of government
- Know key reforms to the Lords: life peers from 1958 and the change to hereditary peers in 1999
- Understand the role of the Speaker and how the Speaker is chosen
- Describe, in simple steps, how a Bill becomes an Act of Parliament (including the monarch’s Royal Assent)

## Test Your Knowledge

_Attempt these questions before reading this article. If you find some difficult or cannot remember the answers, look more closely at that area during your revision._

1. Why is the House of Commons usually seen as more important than the House of Lords?
2. What is a parliamentary constituency, and how many MPs does each constituency elect?
3. Name four responsibilities of an MP.
4. Who chairs debates in the House of Commons, and how is that person chosen?
5. Since 1999, what changed about hereditary peers in the House of Lords?

## Introduction

The UK Parliament sits at the Palace of Westminster in London and is central to how the UK is governed. Parliament makes laws, debates national issues, and checks the work of the government. The Life in the UK Test often checks that you understand the difference between the two Houses and how they work together.

The two chambers are not equal. The House of Commons is elected, forms the government, and can overrule the House of Lords in most cases. The House of Lords is not elected and mainly revises and checks proposed laws.

> **Key Term: Parliament**
> The supreme legislative body of the UK, made up of the House of Commons, the House of Lords, and the monarch.

### The House of Commons

The House of Commons is the elected chamber of Parliament. Its members are called Members of Parliament (MPs). Each MP represents a small geographical area called a constituency. In a General Election, voters in each constituency choose one MP.

> **Key Term: Member of Parliament (MP)**
> An elected representative who sits in the House of Commons and represents a constituency.
>
> **Key Term: parliamentary constituency**
> A defined local area that elects one MP to the House of Commons.

The Commons is usually described as the more important House because MPs are democratically elected and because the government depends on the Commons for authority. The Prime Minister is normally a member of the Commons, and almost all Cabinet ministers are MPs as well. This link between election and power is a common test point: the government is drawn mainly from the Commons and is accountable to it.

MPs have several responsibilities, and the test expects you to know the main ones:

- **Representation:** MPs represent everyone in their constituency, not only those who voted for them.
- **Making laws:** MPs debate and vote on Bills (proposed laws).
- **Scrutiny:** MPs question ministers and examine what the government is doing.
- **Debate:** MPs debate major national issues, such as the economy, public services, or foreign policy.

MPs can also help individual constituents. Many MPs hold regular local meetings called surgeries so people can raise problems such as housing, immigration case delays, or issues with public services.

> **Test Tip:** If a question asks which House is “more important” or has the “final say”, the exam answer is normally the House of Commons because it is elected and can overrule the Lords.

#### Elections and the Commons in practice

MPs are elected in a General Election held at least every five years. The UK uses the **first past the post** system for Westminster elections: in each constituency, the candidate with the most votes wins the seat (they do not need to win more than 50%).

When a General Election is finished, the party with the majority of MPs usually forms the government. If no party has a majority, two parties may form a coalition. In day-to-day politics, the Commons is where government ministers must answer questions and defend their policies.

### The Speaker and order in the Commons

Debates in the House of Commons are chaired by the Speaker. The Speaker is the chief officer of the Commons and keeps order during debates so that rules are followed. The Speaker is also responsible for making sure the opposition has time to debate issues it chooses.

Although the Speaker is an MP and still represents a constituency (and deals with constituency matters like other MPs), the Speaker is politically neutral while doing the job and does not act for a party in the Commons.

> **Key Term: Speaker**
> The MP who chairs debates in the House of Commons, keeps order, and acts neutrally.

The Speaker is chosen by other MPs in a secret ballot. This is designed to support independence and fairness.

> **Test Tip:** If you see “chairs debates” or “keeps order in the Commons”, the correct answer is the Speaker (not the Prime Minister, a judge, or the monarch).

### The House of Lords

The House of Lords is the second chamber of Parliament. Members are known as peers. Unlike MPs, peers are not elected by the public and do not represent constituencies. This difference is one of the most tested facts in this topic.

> **Key Term: peer**
> A member of the House of Lords who is not elected and does not represent a constituency.

The Lords has changed significantly over time. Key points you should remember are:

- **Before 1958**, all peers were either hereditary peers (inherited titles), senior judges, or bishops of the Church of England.
- **Since 1958**, the Prime Minister has had the power to nominate people to become **life peers** (peers for their lifetime only). Life peers are appointed by the monarch on the advice of the Prime Minister.
- **Since 1999**, hereditary peers lost the automatic right to sit in the House of Lords. A small number remain and elect some of their number to represent them.

The main purpose of the Lords is not to compete with the Commons, but to revise and scrutinise. Many peers have experience in areas such as law, medicine, the armed forces, education, science, business, or public service. Their specialist knowledge can be helpful when checking laws in detail.

#### What the Lords does

The House of Lords is normally more independent of the government than the Commons. This is because peers are not elected on a party manifesto in the same way as MPs, and many do not depend on party politics for their position. The Lords can:

- **Suggest amendments** to Bills (changes to improve or clarify a proposed law)
- **Propose new laws** (which then go to the Commons for debate)
- **Scrutinise government** by debating issues and questioning ministers
- **Check legislation** that has passed through the Commons to see if it is fit for purpose

The House of Commons can overrule the House of Lords, but this power is not used often. In the exam, the safest summary is: the Lords can ask the Commons to think again, but the Commons has the final word.

### How a Bill becomes an Act of Parliament

A **Bill** is a proposed law. For most Bills to become law, they must be debated and approved by both Houses of Parliament, and then approved formally by the monarch.

> **Key Term: Bill**
> A proposed law that is debated in Parliament and may become an Act of Parliament.

A simple exam-ready outline is:

1. A Bill is introduced and debated in one House (Commons or Lords).
2. It is examined and may be changed with amendments.
3. It is voted on in that House.
4. It goes to the other House and follows similar steps.
5. Both Houses must agree on the final text.
6. The monarch gives Royal Assent, and the Bill becomes an Act of Parliament.

Royal Assent is the final stage in the process. In the UK’s constitutional monarchy, the monarch acts on the advice of ministers, and Royal Assent is granted as part of the normal process.

> **Key Term: Royal Assent**
> The monarch’s formal approval that turns a Bill passed by Parliament into an Act of Parliament.

Remember that the House of Lords is especially focused on detailed checking and improvement. Even though it cannot usually block the Commons permanently, its amendments and debates can still influence what the final law looks like.

### Standing for election and limits linked to Parliament

In the UK, most citizens of the UK, Ireland, or the Commonwealth aged 18 or over can stand for public office. There are exceptions, including members of the armed forces, civil servants, and people found guilty of certain criminal offences.

A specific rule to remember is about the relationship between the two Houses:

- Members of the House of Lords **may not** stand for election to the House of Commons.
- However, they are eligible for other public offices.

This reflects the idea that you cannot be part of both Houses at the same time, and that the Commons is based on election.

### Seeing Parliament and taking part as a citizen

The Life in the UK Test also checks practical knowledge about public access to Parliament. The public can watch debates from public galleries in both the Commons and the Lords at the Palace of Westminster.

You can get tickets by writing to your local MP in advance or you can queue on the day at the public entrance. Entrance is free. It is usually easier to get into the House of Lords because queues for the Commons can be long.

You can also participate by contacting your MP. MPs can be contacted at their constituency office or at the House of Commons in Westminster, and many hold local surgeries so constituents can speak to them in person.

## Key Point Checklist

_This article has covered the following key knowledge points:_

- Parliament has three parts: the monarch, the House of Commons, and the House of Lords
- The House of Commons is the elected chamber and is usually considered the more important House
- Each MP represents a parliamentary constituency and represents everyone living there
- MPs help make laws, scrutinise government, and debate national issues
- Debates in the Commons are chaired by the Speaker, who is politically neutral and chosen by MPs in a secret ballot
- The House of Lords is not elected; its members are peers and do not represent constituencies
- Since 1958, many peers are life peers appointed by the monarch on the advice of the Prime Minister
- Since 1999, hereditary peers lost the automatic right to sit in the Lords and now only a small number remain through internal election
- The Lords revises Bills, suggests amendments, and holds the government to account, but the Commons can overrule the Lords
- A Bill must be approved by both Houses and then receive Royal Assent to become an Act of Parliament
- Members of the public can watch debates from galleries in both Houses and can contact their MP, including through local surgeries

## Key Terms and Concepts

- Parliament
- Member of Parliament (MP)
- parliamentary constituency
- Speaker
- peer
- Bill
- Royal Assent


Parliament and elections - House of Commons and House of Lords