Our guides help you navigate your way through the workings of the Westminster Parliament. Our set of topic guides will build up to cover core parliamentary business and occasions. And as major parliamentary events occur, our curated collections will bring material together to explain the background and what may happen and when.

On this page

On this page

  1. Topics: guides organised by topic
  2. Collections: curated collections of thematic and timely material
  3. Recently added guides and collections

Topics

Topics

Procedural and constitutional guides to core parliamentary occasions, activity, business and personnel, organised by topic

Lifecycle of a Parliament

  1. How does a Parliament begin and end?
  2. When does a new Parliament first meet?
  3. What is swearing-in?
  4. What is a session of Parliament?
  5. How long is a session of Parliament?
  6. What parliamentary business is affected by session lengths and timings?
  7. When does Parliament not sit? Recess, prorogation and dissolution
  8. How long is a prorogation?
  9. What is a recall of Parliament?
  10. How does a recall of Parliament take place?
  11. When has the House of Commons been recalled?
  12. How long does a Parliament last?
  13. How and when can an early general election come about?

Queen's Speech and State Opening of Parliament

  1. Why and when does a Queen’s Speech take place?
  2. What happens during the Queen’s Speech ceremony?
  3. What is in the Queen’s Speech?
  4. What are the Outlawries Bill and the Select Vestries Bill?
  5. What is the procedure for the Queen’s Speech debate?

Leadership and Governance

  1. How is the Speaker elected in the House of Commons?
  2. What are the Speaker’s role and powers in the House of Commons?
  3. How are the Deputy Speakers elected in the House of Commons?

Private Members' Bills

  1. What are Private Members’ Bills (PMBs)?
  2. What is a Ballot Bill and how does the PMB ballot in the House of Commons work?
  3. What is a Ten Minute Rule Bill?
  4. What is a Presentation Bill?
  5. How is time allocated for consideration of Private Members’ Bills in the House of Commons?
  6. What is the legislative procedure for Private Members’ Bills in the House of Commons?
  7. How do Private Members’ Bills work in the House of Lords?
  8. What are the problems with Private Members’ Bills?
  9. How many Private Members’ Bills become law each parliamentary session?

Select Committees

  1. What are select committees?
  2. How are select committees created in the House of Commons?
  3. How are select committee chairs put in place in the House of Commons?
  4. How are select committee members put in place in the House of Commons?
  5. How are select committees set up in the House of Lords?
  6. What is the Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC)?

Financial Scrutiny: the Estimates Cycle

  1. What is the Estimates process and why does it matter?
  2. What principles govern the Estimates process?
  3. How does government ask Parliament for funds each financial year?
  4. What do departmental Estimates comprise?
  5. What role do select committees play in scrutinising the Estimates?
  6. What are Estimates Day Debates?
  7. What are Supply Resolutions?
  8. What are Supply and Appropriation Bills?
  9. What is a Money Bill?

Financial Scrutiny: the Budget

  1. What is the Budget and what are the key parliamentary stages of the Budget process?
  2. What constitutional principles and procedural rules govern the Budget process?
  3. What happens in the Chamber during the Financial Statement and the Budget debate?
  4. What motions does the Chancellor move at the end of the Financial Statement?
  5. What is a Provisional Collection of Taxes motion?
  6. What are the Ways and Means motions?
  7. Can MPs amend a Budget motion?
  8. How do MPs vote on the Budget motions?
  9. Do select committees scrutinise the Budget?

Financial Scrutiny: the Finance Bill

  1. What is the Finance Bill?
  2. How is the Finance Bill scrutinised in the House of Commons?
  3. How is the Finance Bill considered by the House of Lords?
  4. How is Royal Assent granted for the Finance Bill?

Collections

Collections

Specially curated collections of thematic and timely material, keeping you on top of developments in Westminster as they arise

Back to Business: procedure at the start of a new Parliament

  1. Election of House of Commons Speaker
  2. Swearing-in
  3. Queen’s Speech and State Opening of Parliament
  4. Election of House of Commons Deputy Speakers
  5. Private Members’ Bill ballots
  6. Getting select committees up and running
  7. How long do procedures at the start of a Parliament take?
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Recently added guides

Photo of Acts of Parliament in the Parliamentary Archives, Houses of Parliament, Westminster
publications / guides / 2021

Guide 1

Photo of Acts of Parliament in the Parliamentary Archives, Houses of Parliament, Westminster
publications / guides / 2021

Guide 2

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