Text 75. Traditions of the British Parliament

Speaking about old English customs and habits one can't but mention in the first place those that are kept in Parliament. They have a long history and some of them look rather funny nowadays.

The Lord Chancellor, the chairman of the House of Lords still sits on the large sack of wool covered with red cloth. Many, many years ago, when wool was the main product of England, it naturally was the symbol of the countrу’s power. Today the woolsack is a mere tradition.

Мanу traditions are found in the House of Commons, too. When its new chairman, the Speaker, is elected, he is dragged to his chair putting up a show of resistance. This custom dates from the times when it was dangerous to be Speaker.

Now take the voting procedure in the House of Commons. After the discussion of a bill the Speaker asks if it has the approval of the House. In case the approval is not unanimous some of the members shout “Aye”, which is derived from the old French word meaning “Yes”, and others shout “No”. Then the Speaker “calls for division”. Or in other words, puts the bill to the vote. This is called “division”, since the voting is done by dividing: the members leave their seats and pass into corridors through different doors, to show which way they are voting. The votes are counted as the members go through.

Here is another Parliament tradition. In the House of Commons there are benches and not separate seats as in most European Parliaments. The first strange thing about these benches is that they don't provide seat for all 630 members of the House, but only for the two-thirds of their members. So, in case all the MP’s appear at the session there won't be enough room for sitting. The second strange thing is that the rows of benches face each other whole the Speaker's chair is in the centre of the House between these rows of benches.

The front benches on the Speaker's right are for the members of the Government, the front bench on his left are for the leaders of the Opposition. The back benches are occupied by the ordinary members who called “back-benchers”.

These traditions of Parliament as well as many other England's customs and habits do not change.

Answer the following questions:

l. Do the English people keep their traditions carefully? Why?

2. Why does the Lord Chancellor sit on the sack of wool? What is the origin of this tradition?

3. Why is the Speaker dragged to his chair? What is this tradition derived from?

4. What word do the members of the House of Соmmons shout when they are asked if they approve a bill?

5. Why is the voting for a bill called "division”?

6. How many members are there in the Moil Commons?

7. How many seats are there in the House of Commons?

8. Why do you think there are less seats than members of the House of Commons?

9. Where do the members of the Government sit?

10. Where are the seats for the Opposition?

11. Where are the seats for the ordinary members of House of Commons?