roles of parliament

• Where are most Bills introduced first and why?

  Most Bills are introduced into the House of Commons first as the members are democratically elected.
• What happens if the House of Commons votes against a Bill?

  It's the end of that Bill.
• What happens during the course of a Bill through the House of Commons?

  There are debates on the issues of the policy behind the law as well as on the specific details of the Bill.
• What does it mean for the Bill that the government will have a majority in the House of Commons?

  It's likely that policies supported by the government will become law.
• Why is it likely that policies supported by the government will become law?

  The government will have a majority in the House of Commons.
• What is the main role of the House of Lords in relation to the House of Commons?

  The House of Lords acts as a check on the House of Commons.
• How does the House of Lords act as a check on the House of Commons?

  All Bills go through the House and they can vote against proposed changes to the law. In some cases, this may alert the House of Commons to a problem with the proposal and it will be dropped or amended.
• How is the power of the House of Lords limited?

  Bills can become law even if the House of Lords rejects it, provided that the Bill is reintroduced into the House of Commons in the next session of Parliament and passes all the stages there again.
• Due to their limited power, for how long can the House of Lords delay a law?

  Up to one year.
• By how was the power of the House of Lords limited?

  The Parliament Acts 1911 and 1949.
• What is the principle behind the Acts of Parliament which limited the power of the House of Lords?

  The House of Lords is not an elected body: its function is to refine and add to the law rather than oppose the will of the democratically elected House of Commons.
• What is an example of one of the four occasions where the House of Lords was by-passed after they had voted against a Bill?

  The Hunting Act 2014
• Why was the Hunting Act 2014 challenged?

  There was challenge over whether it was constitutionally valid. The challenge was on the basis that the Parliament Act 1949 couldn't be used as it increased the power of the House of Commons without the agreement of the House of Lords.
• What was the outcome over the challenge to the Hunting Act 2014?

  It was held that the 1949 Parliament Act merely placed limits on the power of the House of Lords rather than increase the power of the House of Commons so the Act has been validly enacted and is a law.