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UNITED KINGDOM
House of Commons

This page contains the full text of the PARLINE database entry on the selected parliamentary chamber, with the exception of Oversight and Specialized bodies modules which, because of their excessive length, can be only viewed and printed separately.

Modules:
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE PARLIAMENTARY CHAMBER

Parliament name UK Parliament
More photos  >>>
Structure of parliament Bicameral
Chamber name House of Commons
Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) House of Lords
Affiliation to the IPU Yes
Affiliation date(s) 1889 -
LEADERSHIP
President John Bercow (M) 
Notes Elected on 22 June 2009, re-elected on 18 May 2010, 18 May 2015 and on 13 June 2017.
Secretary General Sir David Natzler (M) 
Notes Appointed on 23 March 2015.
COMPOSITION
Members (statutory / current number) 650 / 650
PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN


More statistics  >>>
Women (current number) 209 (32.15%)
Mode of designation directly elected 650
Term 5 years
Last renewal dates 8 June 2017
(View details)
CONTACT INFORMATION
Address House of Commons
LONDON - SW1A 0AA
(Export mailing lists)
Phone (44) 20 7219 3000
Fax (44) 20 7219 5839* (House of Commons Information Office)
*Please send all correspondence by e-mail where possible.
*Prière d'utiliser de préférence le courriel.
E-mail bgipu@parliament.uk (for all IPU matters / pour toute question relative à l'UIP)
hcinfo@parliament.uk (for questions about the House of Commons, its work and membership/
pour toute question relative à la Chambre des Communes, son travail et ses membres)
Website
http://www.parliament.uk
http://www.histparl.ac.uk/

ELECTORAL SYSTEM

Parliament name UK Parliament
Structure of parliament Bicameral
Chamber name House of Commons
Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) House of Lords
LEGAL FRAMEWORK
Electoral law 8 February 1983
Last amendment:11 July 2006
Mode of designation directly elected 650
Constituencies 650 single-member constituencies:
- 533 for England
- 59 for Scotland
- 40 for Wales
- 18 for Northern Ireland
Voting system Majority: Single member plurality systems ("first past the post").
Vacancies arising between general elections are filled through by elections.
Voting is not compulsory.
Voter requirements - age: 18 years
- British, Irish or Commonwealth citizenship
- disqualifications: imprisonment, detention in mental health institutions, members of the House of Lords, conviction for electoral offence (disqualification for a period of five years)
CANDIDATES
Eligibility Qualified electors
- age: 18 years
- British, Irish or Commonwealth citizenship
- ineligibility: insanity, undischarged bankruptcy, imprisonment exceeding one year
Incompatibilities - members of the armed forces
- policemen
- civil servants
- holders of certain judicial offices
- clergymen (except of non-conformist churches)
- peers
- members of a large number of public boards and tribunals
Candidacy requirements - lists must be supported by at least 10 electors
- deposit of £500, reimbursed if candidate obtains at least 5% of the total votes in the constituency concerned

LAST ELECTIONS

Parliament name UK Parliament
Structure of parliament Bicameral
Chamber name House of Commons
Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) House of Lords
BACKGROUND
Dates of election / renewal (from/to) 8 June 2017
Timing and scope of renewal The first elections after the Brexit referendum (see note) resulted in a hung parliament. Prime Minister Theresa May of the Conservative Party had called early elections, calling on voters' support for "a strong and stable government to get the best Brexit deal". The Conservative Party won the elections but lost the parliamentary majority. The Labour Party, led by Mr. Jeremy Corbyn, increased its share of seats from 232 to 262, while promising to work for "a jobs-first Brexit that allows us to upgrade our economy for the 21st century". Ms. May subsequently formed a minority government, with the support of the Democratic Unionist Party led by Ms. Arlene Foster. A record number of 208 women (up from 191) were elected to the House of Commons in 2017 (32% of MPs).

During the election campaigning, the major parties focused more on social care and education than on Brexit. Two terror attacks occurred during the campaign - the Manchester Arena bombing on 22 May and the London Bridge attack on 4 June - pushing the security issue to the centre of the campaigning in run-up to the polling day.

Note:
A referendum on Brexit (merging of the words "Britain" and "exit") to decide whether the United Kingdom should leave or remain in the European Union was held in June 2016. Leave camps narrowly won the referendum. The then Prime Minister David Cameron (Conservative Party) resigned after the referendum and was succeeded by Ms. May in July of that year.
Date of previous elections: 7 May 2015

Date of dissolution of the outgoing legislature: 3 May 2017

Timing of election: Early elections

Expected date of next elections: 5 May 2022*
*In accordance with Article 1 (3) of the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011 , the next general elections will be held on "the first Thursday in May in the fifth calendar year".

Number of seats at stake: 650 (full renewal)

Number of candidates: 3,304 (2,328 men, 973 women, 3 other)
Note on other: At least 3 candidates were non-binary or gender neutral.

Percentage of women candidates: 29.5%

Number of parties contesting the election: 71

Number of parties winning seats: 8

Alternation of power: No*
*The Conservative Party formed a minority government after the elections.

Number of parties in government: 1

Names of parties in government: Conservative Party*
*The Democratic Unionist Party supports the minority government led by the Conservative Party.

Date of the first session of the new parliament: 13 June 2017

Name of the new Speaker: Mr. John Bercow (former member of the Conservative Party)
STATISTICS
Voter turnout
Round no 18 June 2017
Number of registered electors
Voters
Blank or invalid ballot papers
Valid votes
46'843'896


Notes
Distribution of votes
Round no 1
Political group Candidates Votes % of votes
Conservative Party
Labour Party
Scottish National Party
Liberal Democrats
Democratic Unionist Party
Sinn Fein
Plaid Cymru
Green Party
Independents
The Speaker
Distribution of seats
Round no 1
Political Group Total of seats
Conservative Party 317
Labour Party 262
Scottish National Party 35
Liberal Democrats 12
Democratic Unionist Party 10
Sinn Fein 7
Plaid Cymru 4
Green Party 1
Independents 1
The Speaker 1
Distribution of seats according to sex
Men

Women

Percent of women
442

208

32.00%
Distribution of seats according to age
Distribution of seats according to profession
Comments
Sources:
British IPU Group (09.06.2017, 07.09.2018)
http://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/mps/?sort=4&type=0
http://www.parliament.uk/business/news/2017/june/house-of-commons-returns-on-13-june-2017/
BRIEFING PAPER Number CBP 7979, 11 July 2017, General Election 2017: results and analysis Second Edition: http://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-7979/CBP-7979.pdf
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2011/14/pdfs/ukpga_20110014_en.pdf
https://www.conservatives.com/manifesto
http://www.labour.org.uk/index.php/manifesto2017
http://www.bbc.com/

PRESIDENCY OF THE PARLIAMENTARY CHAMBER

Parliament name UK Parliament
Structure of parliament Bicameral
Chamber name House of Commons
Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) House of Lords
APPOINTMENT AND TERM OF OFFICE
Title Speaker of the House of Commons
Term - duration: 5 years (term of House)
- reasons for interruption of the term: death, illness, resignation
Appointment - elected by all Members of the House at the beginning of every new Parliament (or when the incumbent Speaker resigns or dies), before the other Members are sworn in
Eligibility - any Member can be a candidate
Voting system - formal vote with public ballot and simple majority
- there is one round of voting in the event of 2 candidates contesting the election
Procedures / results - the father of the House, the Member with the longest continuous period of service, presides over the Assembly during the voting
- Clerks supervise the voting
- the father of the House announces the results immediately the Division is completed
- the results cannot be challenged

STATUS
Status - Speaker's rank is defined by the Order in Council of 30th May 1919, which stated that the Speaker should have precedence immediately after the Lord President of the Council
- reads messages from the Queen and presents bills for the Royal Assent, presents Addresses of the Commons to the Sovereign, represents the House at State occasions (Royal weddings...)
- is ex officio Chairman of the House of Commons Commission and Chairman of the 4 Boundary Commissions
- in the absence of the Speaker, one of the 3 deputies ( the Chairman of Ways and Means, the first Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means or the second Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means ) can assume his/her role and functions
Board
Material facilities - same salary as a Cabinet Minister
- official residence in the Palace of Westminster
- staff of 10 including a Housekeeper, Chaplain and Constituency Secretary

FUNCTIONS
Organization of parliamentary business - organizes the debates and sets speaking time
- selects amendments, new clauses and schedules to bills and determines the order, but the examination of the admissibility is carried out by the Department of the Clerk of the House
The Leader of the House, who is a Member of the Government:
- convenes sessions
- establishes and modifies the agenda
Chairing of public sittings - can adjourn and close sittings and re-convene them if adjourned
- ensures respect for provisions of the Constitution and Standing Orders
- makes announcements concerning the House
- takes disciplinary measures in the event of disturbance, and lifts such measures
- gives and withdraws permission to speak
- establishes the order in which amendments are taken up and selects which amendments are to be debated
- calls for a vote if judgement is disputed, decides how it is to be carried out, verifies the voting procedure and cancels a vote in the event of irregularities
- does not check the quorum ; however if in a division it is found that fewer than 35 Members have voted, the business under consideration stands over
- authenticates formally the Votes and Proceedings, the minutes of the House
- interprets the rules or other regulations governing the life of the House, according to precedents
- has discretionary power to give the floor outside the agenda and thus organizes impromptu debates

Special powers - is responsible for establishing the budget as Chairman of the House of Commons Commission
- is responsible for recruitment, assignation and promotion of staff as Chairman of the House of Commons Commission
- is responsible for the organization of the services of Parliament as Chairman of the House of Commons Commission
- a branch of the Department of the Clerk is responsible for relations with foreign Parliaments
- Serjeant at Arms is responsible for safety, and in this capacity, can call the police in the event of disturbance in the House
Speaking and voting rights, other functions - provides guidelines for the interpretation or completion of the text under discussion
- takes part in voting only when the numbers in a division are equal

- provides guidelines for the interpretation or completion of the text under discussion
- takes part in voting only when the numbers in a division is equal

PARLIAMENTARY MANDATE

Parliament name UK Parliament
Structure of parliament Bicameral
Chamber name House of Commons
Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) House of Lords
NATURE
Nature of the mandate · Free representation
Start of the mandate · When the MPs take the oath
Validation of mandates · No validation except in case of challenge by parliamentary election petitions (election trials, (in)validation by the appropriate judiciary (Part III, S. 120 to 126 of the Representation of the People Act 1983)) or in case of legal disabilities ((in)validation by the House of Commons or by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council). See also loss of mandate.
· Procedure
End of the mandate · On the day when the legal term of the House ends - or on the day of early dissolution
Can MPs resign? No · No, but he may apply for certain nominal offices which have been retained for purposes of resignation
· Procedure
Can MPs lose their mandate ? Yes (a) Definitive exclusion from Parliament by the latter:
- Disqualification for membership by the House of Commons
- Expulsion
(b) Loss of mandate by judicial decision:
- Election trials
- Disqualification of certain office-holders by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council
STATUS OF MEMBERS
Rank in hierarchy · Within Parliament:
1. The Speaker
2. The other MPs (equal in rank)
· Outside Parliament: the official order of precedence ranks the Speaker in the 12th position. It does not accord a rank to the other MPs.
Indemnities, facilities and services · No diplomatic or official passport
· Basic salary: £ 64,766 per annum (from 1 April 2009)
+ Additional allowance for office-holders: in accordance with office
+ Supplementary London Allowance (MPs for Inner London seats and certain others): £ 1,406 per annum
· Exemption from tax
· Pension scheme
· Other facilities:
(a) Secretariat/assistants
(b) Official housing for the Speaker
(c) Official cars for the Speaker, the Deputy Speakers, and the Leader of the Opposition
(d) Security guards
(e) Postal and telephone services
(f) Travel and transport
(g) Other
Obligation to declare personal assets Yes
Parliamentary immunity - parliamentary non-accountability · The concept does exist (called "parliamentary privilege"; Art. IX of the Bill of Rights of 1689).
· Parliamentary non-accountability is limited to words spoken or written by MPs and votes cast within Parliament.
· Derogations: use of disorderly or unparliamentary expressions (Standing Order (SO) 42 and 43 of the House of Commons Relating to Public Business)/contempt of Parliament in cases of disobedience to rules or orders of the House (for both see Discipline)
· Non-accountability takes effect (on the day when the mandate begins) and offers (. It does not offer), after the expiry of the mandate, protection against prosecution for opinions expressed during the exercise of the mandate.
Parliamentary immunity - parliamentary inviolability · The concept does exist (called "parliamentary privilege").
· It applies only to civil proceedings, covers all offences, but protects MPs only from arrest and imprisonment (Parliamentary Privilege Act of 1770).
· Derogations: in cases of contempt of court, the House of Commons has accepted that Members can be imprisoned.
· Parliamentary inviolability does prevent MPs from being called as witnesses before a judge or tribunal if the Speaker certifies that their attendance is required at the House.
· Technically, protection is provided from 40 days before the session starts until 40 days after the House has been prorogued or dissolved (however, the interval between prorogation and new session is usually a fortnight). Since parliamentary inviolability does not cover judicial proceedings in general, it does not cover judicial proceedings instituted against MPs before their election.
· Parliamentary immunity (inviolability) cannot be lifted.
· Parliament cannot subject the prosecution and/or detention to certain conditions.
· Parliament cannot suspend the prosecution and/or detention of one of its members.
· In the event of preventive custody or imprisonment, the MPs concerned cannot be authorised to attend sittings of Parliament.
EXERCISE OF THE MANDATE
Training · There is a training/initiation process on parliamentary practices and procedures for MPs. A series of seminars is arranged after the General Election.
· It is provided by the Clerk's Department.
· Handbooks of parliamentary procedure:
- Short Guide to Procedure and Practice
- Parliamentary Practice (Erskine May, 21st ed., 1989)
- Standing Orders
Participation in the work of the Parliament · It is only compulsory for MPs to be present at meetings of Opposed Private Bill Committees (SO 122 Relating to Private Business).
· Penalty foreseen in case of failure to fulfil this obligation: report to the House by the Committee of Selection
· Body competent to judge such cases/to impose the penalty: the Committee of Selection
Discipline · The rules governing discipline within Parliament are contained in SO 41 to 45 of the House of Commons Relating to Public Business and in customary law (see also Chapters 8, 9 and 18 of Erskine May, Parliamentary Practice, 21st ed., London, Butterworths, 1989).
· Disciplinary measures foreseen :
- Order to discontinue the speech (SO 41 of the House of Commons Relating to Public Business)
- Order to leave the sitting (SO 42 of the House of Commons Relating to Public Business)
- Call by name (SO 42 and 43 (1) of the House of Commons Relating to Public Business)
- Suspension from Parliament (SO 43 (1) to (5) of the House of Commons Relating to Public Business)
- Adjournment of the House or suspension of the sitting (SO 45 of the House of Commons Relating to Public Business)
- Ancient usages (SO 43 (6) of the House of Commons Relating to Public Business) (e.g. for contempts of Parliament)
· Specific cases:
- Use of disorderly or unparliamentary expressions (SO 42 and 43 of the House of Commons Relating to Public Business): order to leave the sitting, call by name; suspension from Parliament
- Contempt of Parliament in cases of disobedience to rules or orders of the House (see Chapters 8 and 9 of Erskine May, Parliamentary Practice, 21st ed.): committal, reprimand or admonition, suspension, expulsion (penal jurisdiction)
· Competent body to judge such cases:
- Order to discontinue the speech/order to leave the sitting/call by name/adjournment of the House or suspension of the sitting/use of disorderly or unparliamentary expressions: the Speaker/Deputy Speaker
- Suspension from Parliament/use of disorderly or unparliamentary expressions: the House of Commons
- Ancient usages: in accordance with usage
- Contempt of Parliament in cases of disobedience to rules or orders of the House: the House of Commons by reference to a committee
The Serjeant at Arms acts on such orders as he may receive from the chair in order to impose penalties.
· Procedure :
- Order to discontinue the speech (SO 41 of the House of Commons Relating to Public Business)
- Order to leave the sitting/call by name/suspension from Parliament/use of disorderly or unparliamentary expressions (SO 42 and SO 43 (1) to (5) of the House of Commons Relating to Public Business)
- Adjournment of the House or suspension of the sitting (SO 45 of the House of Commons Relating to Public Business)
- Contempt of Parliament in cases of disobedience to rules or orders of the House (see Chapters 8 and 9 of Erskine May, Parliamentary Practice, 21st ed.)
Code (rules) of conduct · This concept does exist in the country's juridical system (Code of Conduct and Guide to the Rules Relating to the Conduct of Members of 24.07.1996).
· Penalties foreseen for violation of the code of conduct (contempt of Parliament in cases of misconduct of Members; see Chapters 8 and 9 of Erskine May, Parliamentary Practice, 21st ed.): penal jurisdiction:
- Committal
- Reprimand or admonition
- Suspension from the House
- Expulsion from the House
· Competent body to judge such cases/to impose penalties/procedure: the House has the authority to judge such cases, and would do so through the Select Committee on Standards and Privileges. In this case, MPs can make representations to the Committee.
Relations between MPs and pressure group · There are no specific legal provisions in this field, but see Code of conduct.

This page was last updated on 14 September 2018
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