Unit IV. Legislative branch

Reading_________________________________________________________

Read the text and characterize the structure of the British Parliament.

British parliament

Parliament, Britain's legislature, is made up of the House of Commons, the House of Lords and the Queen in her constitutional role.

Parliament and the monarch have different roles in the government of the country, and they only meet together on symbolic occasions such as the coronation of a new monarch or the opening of Parliament. In reality, the House of Commons is the only one of the three which has true power. It is here that new bills are introduced and debated. If the majority of the members are in favour of a bill it goes to the House of Lords to be debated and finally to the monarch to be signed. Only then it becomes law. The House of Commons is the most powerful and decides national policy, but the House of Lords can ask the House of Commons to rewrite certain parts of a bill before it becomes a new law.

Although a bill must be supported by all three bodies, the House of Lords only has limited powers, and the monarch has not refused to sign one since the modern political system began over 200 years ago.

The House of Commons is made up of elected members, known as Members of Parliament (MPs). Each MP is elected by voters in one constituency (region). There are 651 MPs, or seats, in the House of Commons (524 for England, 72 for Scotland, 38 for Wales and 17 for Northern Ireland). The House of Commons is presided over by the Speaker, a member acceptable to the whole House. MPs sit on two sides of the hall, one side for the governing party and the other for the opposition. The first two rows of seats are occupied by the leading members of both parties (called 'front-benchers'), the back benches belong to the rank-and-file MPs ('back-benchers'). MPs are paid for their parliamentary work and have to attend the sittings. MPs have to catch the Speaker's eye when they want to speak, then they rise from where they have been sitting to address the House and must do so without either reading a prepared speech or consulting notes.

A proposed law, a bill, has to go through three stages in order to become an Act of Parliament. These are called readings. The first reading is a formality and is simply the publication of the proposal. The second reading involves debate on the principles of the bill, its examination by a parliamentary committee, and the third reading - a report stage, when the work of the committee is reported on to the House. If the majority of MPs vote for the bill, it is sent to the House of Lords for discussion. When the Lords agree, the bill is taken to the Queen for Royal assent. All bills must pass through both houses before being sent for signature by the Queen, when they become Acts of Parliament and the Law of the Land.

The 1,203 members of the Upper House, the House of Lords, are not elected. They are life peers: they are members of the House of Lords, but their sons or daughters cannot be members. Life peers are usually former members of the House of Commons. There are also a number of judges or bishops. The House is presided over by the Lord Chancellor who is head of the judiciary in England and Wales.

The members of the House of Lords debate a bill after it has been passed by the House of Commons. Changes may be recommended, and agreement between the two Houses is reached by negotiations. The Lords' main power consists of being able to delay non-financial bills for a period of a year, but they cannot finally veto them. They can also introduce certain types of bills. The House of Lords is the only non-elected second chamber in the parliaments of the world, and some people in Britain would like to abolish it.

The division of Parliament into two Houses goes back over some 700 years when a feudal assembly assisted the King. In modern times, real political power rests with the elected House although members of the House of Lords may occupy important cabinet posts.

The main functions of the British Parliament today are as follows:

• to pass laws;

• to vote on financial bills so that the government could carry on its work;

• to discuss the government's administrative policies - foreign affairs, the state of agriculture, educational problems, etc.;

• to debate important political issues of the day.

By custom, Parliament is also informed before the ratification of all important international treaties and agreements. The making of treaties is, however, a royal prerogative exercised on the advice of the government and is not subject to parliamentary approval.

The life of Parliament is divided into periods, called sessions. Each usually lasts for one year - normally beginning and ending most often in October or November. Each session is ended by prorogation. Parliament then 'stands prorogued', until the new session begins. Prorogation terminates nearly all parliamentary business: in particular, bills which have not been passed by the end of the session are lost, and every new session begins with a clean slate.

At weekends, at Christmas, Easter and the late Spring Bank Holiday as well as during a long summer 'recess' (usually late July until October) Parliament is adjourned.

Comprehension___________________________________________________

I. Match the phrases in English with their Russian equivalents. Find the sentences with them in the text and read them out.

terminates nearly all parliamentary business	избиратели одного избирательного округа
begins with a clean slate	«переднескамеечники» (руковод. члены обеих парламентских партий)
'back-benchers'	начинается с чистого листа
to abolish non-elected second chamber	завершает всю работу в парламенте
foreign affairs	возглавляет спикер
Britain's legislature	внешняя политика
are in favour of a bill	ликвидировать невыборную палату
is ended by prorogation	являются сторонниками законопроекта
'front-benchers'	быть поддержанным всеми тремя органами
be supported by all three bodies	парламентский акт, закон
voters in one constituency	законодательная власть Британии
is presided over by the Speaker	в работе парламента объявлен перерыв
Parliament is adjourned	заканчивается перерывом в работе парламента
act of Parliament	«заднескамеечники» (рядовые члены партий)