CHAPTER X

THE WORK OF PARLIAMENT

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Calendar and Time-Table
Debates and Votes
The Building
From Bills to Acts
Efficiency

The House of Commons, as the most important part of Parlia-
ment, has four functions. First to make the law; second to watch
and criticise the Government; third, to hold debates which
will focus attention on politics and make clear to the people
what are the questions which they will have to decide. The fourth,
the control of the raising and spending of money, will need
to be treated separately; the object of this chapter is to state
how far the methods of work allow the first three functions to
be satisfactorily performed.

CALENDAR AND TIME-TABLE.

When, after a General Election, a new House of Commons
assembles, its first task is to elect a Speaker* This official was
originally the man who "spoke" to the King in Parliament
about the wishes and doings of the Commons, and was regarded
by them, with some suspicion, as a "King's man". To-day his
election has to be approved by the King, but this is only a
formality. He has become the champion of the Commons'
privileges and his chief duty is to preside at their debates.
Although he is usually, until his election, a member of one of
the parties, he must sever his party connection and act impar-
tially, and he should be a man in whose fairness all parties
can have confidence* The majority party could elect whom

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