Starter quiz
- How many parts is Parliament made up of?
- one
- two
- three ✓
- four
- five
-
- What is the primary role of the UK Parliament?
- to interpret laws
- to enforce laws
- to make, pass and scrutinise laws ✓
- to judge legal cases
-
- The House of ______ is the unelected chamber in the UK Parliament.
- 'Lords' ✓
- Which of these are a responsibility of the Speaker in Parliament?
- to vote on all issues in the House of Commons
- to remain impartial and not take sides in debates ✓
- to represent their political party during debates
- to keep a record of proceedings in the House of Commons
-
- Which of the following people are generally not allowed in the House of Commons?
- clerk
- MPs
- monarch ✓
- Prime Minister
-
- Match the term to its correct definition.
- Member of Parliament⇔an elected member of the House of Commons ✓
- Lord⇔a member of the unelected House of Lords ✓
Exit quiz
- Who checks the cellars during the State Opening of Parliament?
- Black Rod
- Members of Parliament
- Yeoman guards ✓
-
- Black Rod is responsible for order in the House of …
- 'Lords' ✓
- Which of the following Parliamentary procedures do some people believe do not represent the UK's multi-faith population?
- Parliamentary prayers ✓
- Black Rod having the door shut
- the Speaker being dragged to the chair
-
- Place the following steps for voting in the House of Commons in the correct order.
- 1⇔at the end of a debate, the Speaker ‘puts the question’
- 2⇔MPs shout ‘Aye’ or ‘No’
- 3⇔the Speaker announces 'I think the (Ayes or Noes) have it'
- 4⇔if challenged, the Speaker calls a division saying 'clear the lobby'
- 5⇔the division bells ring, and the annunciators display a green bell
- 6⇔the doorkeepers lock the exit doors from the lobbies
- Some people believe that Parliamentary procedures should not be modernised. One reason they might give is that they are a reminder of our ______ system.
- 'democractic' ✓
- Match the sentence starter to its end.
- Parliament is the institution of⇔government, it is comprised of three parts. ✓
- The House of Commons is an⇔elected body currently consisting of 650 MPs. ✓
- The House of Lords is⇔the upper house of Parliament, composed of life and hereditary peers. ✓
Worksheet
Presentation
Video
Lesson Details
Key learning points
- Traditional procedures are embedded in Parliament through the State Opening of Parliament and in the day-to-day running.
- Some traditions in Parliament include: guards checking cellars, role of Black Rod, Speaker, prayers.
- Some traditions could stay the same to celebrate history or could be modernised, like voting in Scottish Parliament.
Common misconception
Parliamentary procedures and traditions are old-fashioned and have no meaning in modern society.
The traditions in Parliament exist for important reasons and serve to highlight the democratic principles that shape our society.
Keywords
Parliament - the institution of government in the UK; it comprises of three parts: the House of Commons, the House of Lords and the monarch; its purpose is to debate, make laws and scrutinise the Government
House of commons - an elected body currently consisting of 650 members of Parliament, where MPs debate, make laws and scrutinise the Government; it is the lower house of Parliament and meets in the Palace of Westminster
House of lords - the upper house of Parliament, composed of life peers and hereditary peers, who scrutinise the bills approved by the House of Commons; the House of Lords meets in the Palace of Westminster