Menu
UK Parliament

Lesson plan one: part one

Duration: 1 hour 25 minutes



Part one: Introducing the second Chamber

Aim: To introduce students to the principle of a two-Chamber system in parliamentary democracies as a prelude to a focused examination of the House of Lords.

Duration: 30 minutes

Method: Explain that most parliamentary democracies are bicameral - that is, they consist of two law making Chambers - with each Chamber assuming certain roles and powers in the law-making process. In the UK, Parliament comprises:

  1. the House of Commons (Lower House)

  2. the House of Lords (Upper House)

  3. the Monarch

Other countries with a two-Chamber system include the USA, Australia, Canada and Japan. Parliamentary systems comprising one legislative Chamber are known as unicameral, such as New Zealand and Sweden.

Using informal Q&A, use the points set out below to develop a framework within which the general political context can be explored. List brainstormed responses on the board.

What is Parliament and what does it do?

  1. Parliament is the highest law making authority in the UK

  2. Parliament checks the work of Government to make sure they are running the country effectively

  3. Parliament debates and approves new laws before they come into force

  4. Parliament checks that taxes are spent properly

Who sits in the Commons and who sits in the Lords?

Commons - 646 elected representatives known as Members of Parliament (MPs) sit in the House of Commons. Each MP is elected from a different area of the country known as a constituency

Lords - Unlike MPs, Lords are appointed rather than elected, and do not represent a constituency. There are currently about 750 Members, including many who do not support one of the three main parties but are independent; known as Crossbenchers.

What is the difference between the House of Commons and the House of Lords?

Generally the decisions made in one House have to be approved by the other, creating a system of checks and balances. However, the Commons has the authority to make laws without the approval of the Lords and is therefore the more powerful of the two.

What is the point of a second Chamber?

The second Chamber complements the first by checking and revising legislation. While the House of Commons has the final say, it has a responsibility to consider the House of Lords' criticisms and recommendations and often accepts them.

Following up on the final point, emphasise that the role of a second Chamber, in this case, the House of Lords, is to "double-check" all proposals from the House of Commons.

Ask students why they feel it would be important to double check things - encourage them to give examples in their personal lives of when they needed to double check something, for example:

  1. making sure the front door is locked

  2. proofreading an essay

  3. checking they are taking the correct medicine

  4. ensuring they have sufficient credits on their mobile phone

Now relate the "double-checking" principle to matters affecting society. Encourage students to think about policy areas that would benefit from a double-checking mechanism.

Policy examples

  1. Asylum seekers

  2. Health

  3. Terrorism

Possible outcomes

  1. Ensuring proposals are fair

  2. Checking they are the right solution to a given matter

  3. "Fine tuning" and improving proposals

Back to the competition homepage