Your Politics Guide

What is Parliament?

Parliament is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom. This means that it has the ultimate authority to make and pass laws. It is a bicameral system, meaning that it consists of two chambers: the House of Commons and the House of Lords. Each chamber has distinct roles and functions within the legislative process.

Key terms

• Legislation: Laws that are passed by Parliament.
• Scrutiny: The process of holding the government accountable for its actions. This can also relate to examining proposed laws and policies.
• Bicameral: A legislative system with two chambers.
• House of Commons: The lower chamber of Parliament, consisting of elected Members of Parliament (MPs).
• House of Lords: The upper chamber of Parliament, consisting of appointed members, including life peers, bishops, and hereditary peers.
• Parliamentary privilege: Immunities granted to Members of Parliament. It allows them to perform their duties without interference. An example is the freedom of speech within parliamentary debates. This was seen in the Ryan Giggs case.