Federal State Autonomous Educational Institution of Higher Education «Belgorod National Research University»
(NRU BelSU)
Institute of Cross-Cultural Communications and International
Relations
11040012. Department of English Philology and Intercultural
Communication
The discipline «British and American studies» “Political system of the UK: the System of Government”
3. Houses of Parliament: House of Commons - its functions, MPs, their working day, the Speaker’s role, the seating arrangements.
Belgorod 2025
The House of Commons
The House of Commons is the first chamber of Parliament and is also called the Lower House. It is probably the institution most associated with the idea of Parliament in the mind of the British public.
Functions
Scrutiny
Debate
Providing ministers
Representation
Law making
legitimation
Commons’ privilege
the Commons have a general privilege – they raise and spend taxpayers’ money since the XVII century. Bills to raise taxes or authorise expediture always start in the Commons and cannot be amended by the Lords
MPs
There are 650 seats in parliament. To have an overall majority, a political party must win over half of these seats: at least 326.At the 2024 general election, the Labour Party won 411 seats. As of 01 September 2025, this stands at 399 seats.
Working day
When Parliament is sitting, the House of Commons normally meets on Mondays at 2.30pm and on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 11.30pm. Fridays are normally reserved for constituency business except on allotted days for the consideration of private members’ Bills. On these days, business starts at 9.30am. The length of the day is governed by the ‘Moment of Interruption’. This is the time when the occupant of the Chair rises to put the questions that will dispose of the day’s business.
Dragging the Speaker of the House of
Commons
In July 2024, Sir Lindsay Hoyle was ceremonially dragged to his post, reflecting a centuries-old tradition linked to royal authority. The practice originated from a time when the Speaker risked punishment from the monarch for delivering unwelcome messages.This ritual remains a symbolic part of the formal appointment procedures for the Speaker.
Questions
· Monday: 2.35pm - 3.35pm
· Tuesday: 11.35am - 12.35pm
· Wednesday: 11.35am - 12.35pm
· Thursday: 9.35am - 10.35am
The Speaker’s role
The current Speaker is Sir Lindsay Hoyle. He was chosen on 4 November 2019. The Speaker's job is to lead the debates and decide which Members of Parliament (MPs) can speak. They also choose which changes (called amendments) to new laws can be discussed. The Speaker must keep order when MPs are debating. They can even punish MPs who break the rules. A key part of the Speaker's job is to be fair to everyone.
Hoyle during the Coronation of Charles III and Camilla in 2023
The seating arrangements
The seating arrangement in the house is reminiscent of choir stalls, the members of the cabinet sit on the front benches while opposition senior members sit directly opposite. The distance between the benches marked out on the floor in red lines, is exactly two sword lengths and one foot apart. Members are not allowed to cross these lines, thus ensuring that debates are kept orderly. In the centre of the floor stands the Table of the House, on which the mace is placed at the start of each parliamentary sitting; this is the Speaker's sceptre. The speaker of the house presides over sittings, keeping order.
