House of Commons - purpose, workings and procedures

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House of Commons

The House of Commons not only deals with the parties e.g. labour and Tory’s it also does other various types of work. It makes laws for the public to obey, it spends nearly half its time doing this. The government can put forward a bill, which often becomes an act as the government has the majority in the house. All MP’s must vote the same way their parties do. An individual MP can put forward a bill this is called a private members bill this always begins in the House of Lords it only effects one or two people. A personal bill is not always successful, as it can not rely on the party whips to get the majority in the House of Commons. If the bill were to be successful, it would have to be non-controversial and have support of the government.

It also controls the finance for the whole of England the government raises money each year to run the country it can not spend money without the permission of the government. The House of Lords can not interfere, as the public does not directly elect the members so they should have no say in the matter, as they do not represent the public. The exchequer presents his budget statement to the commons. He explains in it how the government will raise enough money and how it will spend it. The main way of making their money is by taxation they also dab in to the stock markets. The 659 MP’s have to agree before the public have to pay taxes e.g. the poll tax, Margaret brought out a new way to raise money, each head in every house hold must pay tax. A massive non-payment campaign formed in England and that led to her resigning.

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The budget is set out in a finance bill it takes roughly 4 weeks to become an act so it becomes a law and the government can raise the money it needs to. Each department estimates how much is required then they are all put together for the house to decide if that amount is correct. To make sure the government has spent its money well there is a select committee publics accounts committee it checks how each department spends there money and if they have done it wisely the committee can see any documents it requires in order to ...

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