Guides

While no one would deny that the Usual Channels exist, it is a rarity from them to be mentioned in the House of Commons. They are key to the smooth running of the Commons but their influence is matched only by their secrecy.Read More

Voting the House of Lords is a physical process. When a vote - or 'division' - is called, Peers literally divide into two groups, those in favour (Contents) and those against (Not-Contents).Read More

The Welsh Government is made up of the First Minister and eight Welsh Ministers. The composition of the current Welsh government is detailed here.Read More

In the early part of the Twenty First Century, the time available on the main floor of the House of Commons for so called Private Members debates had become curtailed. This led to the development of the Westminster Hall format.Read More

White Papers are detailed statements of Government policy, which set the broad principles for legislation, although not all White Papers lead to new laws.Read More

Written questions to the government can be tabled by any MP. During the decade 2010 to 2019, the average number of written questions was said to be 3,462 a month. The cost of answering a written question has previously been estimated as costing £140.Read More

Written Questions are questions posed to the government by a Member of the House of Lords.  They are designed to elicit further information and confirmation around government policy.Read More