Parliamentary procedure
Parliamentary procedure regulates the proceedings of the House and can be divided up into four main sections.
1. Practice which is the general understanding established over the centuries and does not need to be formally written down.
2. The Standing Orders which are the rules under which Parliament conducts its business and regulates the way Members behave and debates are organised.
3. In the House of Commons Rulings from the Chair relate to decisions on procedure which have been referred to the Speaker for clarification. In the House of Lords, procedure is developed by the House itself through the Procedure Committee which considers any proposals for changes to Standing Orders.
4. Other proceedings are controlled by Acts of Parliament which cover such things as taking the Oath or presenting Bills to Parliament.