questions about the british parliament

I am a sophomore student from china. I am doing a class representation about the british parliament. The teacher’s requirements are we have to act it out. I have got several questions.
1. why people stand up after a person’s speech.
2.why people tend to make noises or maybe those are cheers during a speech.
3. what’s the role of the speaker
4. how long will a debate last usually
5. how many people are usually involved in the discussion. All?
6. any more supplements are welcomed. :wink:

Reply 1

XFire36

9

warmpenguin

I am a sophomore student from china. I am doing a class representation about the british parliament. The teacher’s requirements are we have to act it out. I have got several questions.
1. why people stand up after a person’s speech.
2.why people tend to make noises or maybe those are cheers during a speech.
3. what’s the role of the speaker
4. how long will a debate last usually
5. how many people are usually involved in the discussion. All?
6. any more supplements are welcomed. :wink:

1. Common courtesy?
2. The noises tend to be cheers or heckles. Depends on who you are.
3. I believe the speaker is supposed to represent the views of the MPs.

Reply 2

Aphotic Cosmos

17

warmpenguin

I am a sophomore student from china. I am doing a class representation about the british parliament. The teacher’s requirements are we have to act it out. I have got several questions.
1. why people stand up after a person’s speech.
2.why people tend to make noises or maybe those are cheers during a speech.
3. what’s the role of the speaker
4. how long will a debate last usually
5. how many people are usually involved in the discussion. All?
6. any more supplements are welcomed. :wink:

1. To signify agreement with the previous speaker, or as a common courtesy for respected members of the house.
2. This generally only happens in Prime Minister's Questions, but regardless it is simply to signify approval or disapproval with the previous speaker.
3. The speaker is a supposedly neutral party, elected by the house, who chairs debates in the Commons and represents MPs in the public domain. It is the most important position within the House.
4. Depends on the type of debate and what is being debated. Debates on major issues such as abortion, education, defence, parliamentary reform, healthcare, the ratification of treaties, etc. will usually last several hours, and can easily overrun into the time allocated to less important debates. They may be stopped and resumed at a later date if they go on too long. Less important debates usually last from a matter of minutes to an hour.
5. It depends on how important the debate is. If it's one of the important matters I outlined in #4, then typically the entire house will show up to vote on it. In other less important matters, especially ones that only affect a handful or a single parliamentary constituency, then far less MPs show up - usually only the relevant government minister(s), the local MP(s) concerned and other interested MPs. For most debates late at night or petitions to the house, typically no more than 10 MPs will sit in.
6. Members of the Sinn Fein party from Northern Ireland refuse to take up their seats in the British Parliament due to their opposition to British rule in Northern Ireland.

Reply 3

dogtanian

16

I thought that standing up was to show that you wished to respond to the previous point made? Like putting your hand up to show the teacher you have an answer, they're standing up to show the speaker that they wish to be selected next. I'm not sure if the speaker decides based on that, or already knows whose questions he's going to field though.

If it were a mark of respect, everyone would do it, and if it were to show agreement, why's it always people across the parties doing it?

Reply 4

L i b

19

warmpenguin

I am a sophomore student from china. I am doing a class representation about the british parliament. The teacher’s requirements are we have to act it out. I have got several questions.
1. why people stand up after a person’s speech.
2.why people tend to make noises or maybe those are cheers during a speech.
3. what’s the role of the speaker
4. how long will a debate last usually
5. how many people are usually involved in the discussion. All?
6. any more supplements are welcomed. :wink:

1. It's called 'catching the Speaker's eye' - it shows that you want to speak, or ask a question, that hasn't been 'booked' beforehand (as most questions at Prime Minister's Questions are).

2. To show approval or disapproval. Unlike many parliaments, you are not allowed to applaude in the British Parliament - hence the shouts of 'hear hear' and the cheering.

3. To keep order, to decide to speaks, to remain neutral and to organise business in the House of Commons.

4. Can be any amount of time. Some last for less than half an hour, some go on for hours and hours, long into the night. It doesn't happen so often nowadays, but long debates used to mean that the House of Commons would still be sitting at 2 o'clock in the morning.

5. No. When you see Prime Minister's Questions, or very important statements, the House of Commons will be full - there will be MPs sitting on steps or standing at the back: there's not enough seats to accommodate all 646 of them. Even then, only a few will actually take part.

The vast majority of debates aren't that important, and sometimes only small numbers turn up - maybe 20 members, for example. Some business is specialised and only members with an interest will turn up - say, questions to the Secretary of State for Wales: only members with an interest in Welsh affairs, or a seat in Wales, will generally attend.

Hope that helps.

questions about the british parliament

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