The House of Commons (1, 700)

The House of Commons is elected by an almost universal adult suffrage. There are at present 651 members of the House of Commons, who are elected by people every five years. Members of the House of Commons receive a salary for their parliamentary work and hold their seats during the life of a Parliament. They are elected either at a general election, which takes place after a Parliament has been dissolved, or at a by-election, which is held when a vacancy occurs in the House as a result of the death or resignation of a member, or as a result of the elevation of a member of the House of Commons to the House of Lords.

All the work of preparing a government Bill is done by the permanent civil servants in the department responsible for the Bill. It is these officials who play the key role in advising the Minister and drafting a Bill in accordance with the policy of the government.

Parliamentary procedure is based on forms and rules, many of which date back to the beginning of the sixteenth century or even earlier. At one end of the chamber is the Speaker’s Chair. In front of it there is the Table of the House to which the Mace is affixed when the Speaker is in the chair. The Clerk of the House and two of his assistants occupy the three chairs at the Table. On the front bench at the Table to the right of the Speaker the Prime Minister and other Ministers sit; leaders of the Opposition face them on the front benches opposite. The benches are covered with green leather. The floor of the House is covered by a green carpet bearing on either side a red stripe, over which no member may cross when addressing the House. On both sides of the chamber there are galleries for the press and the public.

At each side of the Chamber there are Division Lobbies. Members voting “Aye” go out of the chamber behind the Speaker’s chair, and pass through the lobby on his right. Those voting “No” go out at the other end of the Chamber into the Lobby on the Speaker’s left. At the farther end of each Lobby, clerks record the names of the Members and a pair of Members, “Tellers”, counts them. Division lists are published the following morning.

Notes

1) either… or –... или... или;

2) universal suffrage – всеобщее избирательное право;

3) hold a seat – проводить заседание, заседать;

4) by-election – дополнительные выборы;

5) vote “Aye” – голосовать «за»;

6) Division Lobbies [dI'vIZn 'lObIz] – кулуары (помещения, куда члены палаты направляются для голосования); division – (зд.) голосование;

7) teller – счетчик голосов;

8) Mace – жезл;

9) farther – срав. ст. от far – дальний.