Parliamentary Procedure. — It will be convenient here to
sketch the general lines of procedure. On the day appointed
by royal proclamation for the meeting of a new parliament both
houses assemble in their respective chambers, when the Lords
Com.missioners for opening the parliament summon the Commons
to the bar of the House of Lords, by the mouth of Black Rod, to
hear the commission read. The lord chancellor states that, when
the members of both houses shall be sworn, the king will declare
the causes of his calling this parliament; and, it being necessary
that a Speaker of the House of Commons shall be first chosen,
the Commons are directed to proceed to the appointment of
a Speaker, and to present him, on the following day, for His
Majesty's royal approbation. The Commons at once withdraw
to their own house and proceed to the election of their Speaker.
The next day the Speaker-elect proceeds, with the house, to the
House of Lords, and, on receiving the royal approbation, lays
claim, in the accustomed form, on behalf of the Commons, " to
their ancient and undoubted rights and privileges." The
Speaker, now fuUy confirmed, returns to the House of Commons,
and, after repeating his acknowledgments, reminds the house
that the first thing to be done is to take and subscribe the oath
required by law. Having first taken the oath himself, he is
followed by other members, who come to the table to be sworn.
The swearing of members in both houses proceeds from day to
day, until the greater number have taken the oath, or affirmation,
when the causes of summons are declared by His Majesty in
person, or by commission, in " the King's speech." This speech
being considered in both houses, an Address (g.v.) in answer is
agreed to, which is presented to His Majesty by the whole house,
or by " the lords with white staves " ir one house and privy
councillors in the other.
The debate on the Address being over, the real business of the session now commences: the committees of supply and ways and means are set up; bills are introduced; motions are made; committees are appointed; and both houses are, at once, in fuU activity. The Lord Chancellor presides over the deliberations of the Lords, and the Speaker over those of the Commons. A quorum of the House of Lords, including the chancellor, is three (thirty for divisions); that of the House of Commons, including the Speaker, is forty.
Every matter is determined, in both houses, upon questions put from the chair, and resolved in the affirmative or negative, or otherwise disposed of by the withdrawal of the motion, by amendments, by the adjournment of the house, by reading the orders of the day, or by the previous question. Notices are required to be given of original motions; and the different stages of bills, and other matters appointed for consideration by the house, stand as orders of the day. Questions of privilege are allowed precedence of all the business on any day; but this rule, being liable to grave abuses, is guarded by strict limitations. Debates arise when a question has been proposed from the chair; and at the close of the debate (for the " closure " in the House of Commons, see below. House of Commons, Internal Reforms) the question is put, with or without amendment, as the case may be, and is determined, when necessary, by a division. No question or bill, substantially the same as one upon which the judgment of the house has already been given, may be again proposed during the same session.
Members claim to be heard in debate by rising in their places. When more than one member rises at the same time, in the Lords the member who is to speak is called by the house, in the Commons by the Speaker. Every member, when called, is bound to speak to the question before the house; and caUs to order are very frequent. A member may speak once only to any question, except to explain, or upon a point of order, or to reply when a member has himself submitted a motion to the house, or when an amendment has been moved which constitutes a new question. He may not refer to past debates, nor to debates in the other house; nor may he refer to any other member by name, or use offensive and disorderly language against the king, either House of Parliament, or other members. Members offending against any of the rules of debate are called to order by
the Speaker, or the attention of the chair is directed to the breach of order by another member. Order is generally enforced by the authority of the chair; but in extreme cases, and especially when obstruction is being practised, the offending member is named by the Speaker, and suspended by an order of the house, or otherwise punished at the discretion of the house.
At the conclusion of a debate, unless the motion be withdrawn, or the question (on being put from the chair) be agreed to or negatived, the house proceeds to a division, which effects the twofold purpose of ascertaining the numbers supporting and opposing the question, and of recording the names of members voting on either side. On each side of the house is a division lobby; and in the Lords the " contents " and in the Commons the " ayes " are directed to go to the right, and the " not contents " or " noes " to the left. The former pass into the right lobby, at the back of the Speaker's chair, and return to the house through the bar; the latter pass into the left lobby, at the bar, and return at the back of the chair. The opposing parties are thus kept entirely clear of one another. In each lobby there are two members acting as tellers, who count the members as they pass, and two division clerks who take down their names. After the division the four tellers advance to the table, and the numbers are reported by one of the tellers for the majority. In case of an equality of numbers, in the Lords the question is negatived in virtue of the ancient rule "semper praesumitur pro negante "; in the Commons the Speaker gives the casting vote.
Committees of the Whole House. — For the sake of convenience in the transaction of business there are several kinds of committees. Of these the most important is a committee of the whole house, which, as it consists of the entire body of members, can scarcely be accounted a committee. It is presided over by a chairman, who sits in the clerk's chair at the table, the mace, which represents the authority of the house itself, being for the time placed under the table. In this committee are discussed the several provisions of bills, resolutions and other matters requiring the consideration of details. To facilitate discussion, members are allowed to speak any number of times to the same question; otherwise the proceedings are similar to those of the house itself. In the Lords the chair is taken by the chairman of committees; and in the Commons by the chairman of the committee of ways and means, or in his absence by any other member. The quorum of such a committee is the same as that of the house itself. It reports from time to time to the house, but has no power of adjournment.
Grand and Standing Committees. — In the House of Commons there were formerly four grand committees, viz. for religion, for grievances, for courts of justice, and for trade. They were founded upon the valuable principle of a distribution of labours among several bodies of members; but, having fallen into disuse, they were discontinued in 1832. The ancient committee of privileges, in which " all who come are to have voices, " is still appointed at the commencement of every session, but is rarely called into action, as it has been found more convenient to appoint a select committee to inquire into any question of privilege as it arises. In 1882 a partial revival of grand committees was effected by the appointment of two standing committees for the consideration of bills relating to law and courts of justice and to trade; and grand committees have since been considerably extended.
Select Committees. — In select committees both houses find the means of delegating inquiries, and the consideration of other matters, which could not be undertaken by the whole house. The reports of such committees have formed the groundwork of many important measures; and bills are often referred to them which receive a fuller examination than could be expected in a committee of the whole house. Power is given to such committees, when required, to send for persons, papers and records. In the Lords the power of examining witnesses upon oath has always been exercised, but it was not until 1 87 1 that the same power was extended to the Commons, by statute.
Communications between the Two Houses. — In the course of the proceedings of parliament, frequent communications between the two houses become necessary. Of these the most usual and convenient form is that of a message. Formerly the Lords sent a message by two judges or two masters in chancery, and the Commons by a deputation of their own members; but since 1S55 messages have been taken from one house to the other by one of the clerks at the table. A more formal communication is effected by a conference, in reference to amendments to bills or other matters; but this proceeding has been in great measure superseded by the more simple form of a message. The two houses are also occasionally brought into communication by means of joint committees and of select committees communicating with each other.
Communications hetweeti the Crown and Parliament. — Communications, in various forms, are also conducted between the Crown
