The house of lords

The House of Lords is composed of Church of England bishops and archbishops, peers who have inherited titles and peers who are appointed for life. Those members who are qualified in the law also sit as a court of law - the supreme court of appeal in the United Kingdom.

In the Chamber - where State Openings of Parliament take place with the Queen reading from the throne - the Lord Chancellor, who is also Speaker, has a seat called the Woolsack, formerly made of a large sack of wool. The Lord Chancellor is the highest civil subject in the land and takes precedence, after the royal family, before all the Queen's other subjects, with the exception of the Archbishop of Canterbury.

On either side of the Peers' Corridor frescoes depict events of the 17^th century, including King Charles I's intrusion into the House of Commons in 1642. The average attendance at the House of Lords, which sits on about 140 days a year, is 270, but in the course of a year some 700 partake in the proceedings. The official report of Parliament's business is called Hansard.

The house of commons

Parliament's paramount power is to make laws. It provides, through taxation, the means to govern, a democratic process ensured by the party system which provides each government with an Opposition. Parliament consists of two chambers - the House of Lords and the Commons with 650 elected members.

Beyond the Central Lobby is the Members lobby, so called because only lobby correspondents can accompany Members this far. Beyond here are the Aye and No lobbies where Members pass through for a count when a vote or Division is called during the debate.

In the main chamber, the Speaker presides with the symbol of his authority, the Mace, on the table. The Prime Minister and Government Ministers sit on the front bench on the right side. The Opposition are on the left side.

For relaxation, the Members of Parliament have reception rooms which lead onto the riverside terrace. That could not be used until 1865 when London's new sewerage system opened and reduced the stink from the polluted Thames.

In the gardens across the road is the Jewel Tower, a stone structure built in 1365 to 66 as a royal treasure house. Among modern sculptures to have been placed in the vicinity is a masterpiece by Sir Henry Moore, while Sir Winston Churchill presides over Parliament Square, with his larger-than-life size sculpture raised on a plinth.

1. What is the House of Lords composed of?

2. How is the Lord Chancellor's seat called?

3. Who is the highest civil subject in the land?

4. What is depicted on either side of the Peer's Corridor?

5. How is the official report of Parliament's business called?

6. What is Parliament's paramount power? What does it provide?

7. What does Parliament consist of?

8. When was the Jewel Tower built?

11. Explain the meaning of the following words and phrases to your partner then use them to speak about the House of Lords and the House of Commons:

1. to compose	5. a sack	9. the means
2. to inherit	6. to take precedence	10. to accompany
3. to appoint	7. intrusion into	11. sewerage
4. to qualify	8. paramount	12. plinth