Introduction
All the functions and activities of the House of commons are
presided over by Speaker.
Election
The Speaker is elected by the Commons from their own number
at the beginning of each new Parliament. The Speaker of the previous Parliament
is usually re-elected unanimously, if he is still a member and willing to
stand. Re-election by the House has not been opposed since 1835.
A speaker takes no active part in a parliamentary election
campaign and stands as “the Speaker seeking re-election” since he belongs to no
party. On some occasions the Speaker is returned to Parliament unopposed, but
this is not always the case.
Channels of Communication
The Speaker is the channel of communication between the
Commons and the Queen, and between the commons and the Lords.
The Speaker presides over the House
The Speaker presides over the House, with the exception of
when it is in Committee. At the point when in the chair he keeps up request, and
aides the House on all inquiries of privilege what's more practice. He is
required to be fair-minded between political gatherings, and particularly to
ensure the rights of minorities in the House and to ensure that they have their
say.
Advice and rulings
The Speaker gives advice and rulings on procedure; sings
warrants of committal for contempt, and reprimands members and strangers for
misconduct and sings warrants for the issue of writs for by-election.
The Speaker has an official habitation. His compensation is
charged on and payable out of the Consolidated Fund. This means that it is
payable by permanent legislation, and does not come up for annual review and
perhaps debate. On a dissolution of Parliament the Speaker retains office until
a Speaker is chosen by the new Parliament. His compensation is charged on and
Lord President of the Council. When he retires, it is customary to bestow on
him a peerage and a statutory pension.
Power and Functions of Speaker
Ø The Speaker is the presiding office of the House of Commons. He,
therefore, enjoys vast powers and performs important functions viz,
Ø The Speaker presides over the meeting of the House of Commons
and as such it is his duty to maintain discipline in the House.
Ø Whenever a member raises a point of order, the speaker needs to
give his decision. However, the rulings of the speaker are given according to
precedent. Whenever a ruling is given by the Speaker, that is final and the
same cannot be questioned by any members.
Ø He interprets and applies rules of the House. In this regard his
decision is final and can be challenged only by tabling a motion.
Ø He puts motions and questions to the House and it is only by
tabling a motion.
Ø He puts motions and questions to the House and it is he who
announces the results of voting.
Ø He also sees that debates are conducted with decorum. He is
empowered to check disorder, irrelevance and unparliamentarily language and
behavior.
Ø Ordinary, the speaker does not vote. Even when he is called upon
to give a casting vote in case of a tie, he does not act according to his
personal opinion. The acts according to certain well establish principles. The
Speaker always votes in the affirmative.
Ø If a tie comes on proposal to adjourn the debate, he always
votes against it. However, the Speaker is rarely called upon to give his
casting vote.
Comparison with American Speaker
The following points may be noted:
v
The American Speaker does
not enjoy the prestige and honor which A British Speaker has since he is a
party man.
v
The decision of the British
Speaker is final But the decision of the American Speaker is not final. An
appeal against his decision can be made to the House.
v
The office of the British
Speaker is not contested. The Speaker is re-relected. In American, the office
of the Speaker is contested. Both the parties put up their candidate.
v
The British Speaker does
not take part in the debates within the House. The American Speaker takes part
in the debates, casts his vote and exercise his casting vote not impartially but
as dictated by the interest of his party.
v
The American Speaker openly
favors his party in the House of Representatives. The Speaker is an impartial
person.
v
The Speaker of the American
House of Representatives is a party man. The British Speaker is a non-party
man.
v
The American Speaker does
not have the power to decide as to whether a Bill is a Money Bill or not. The
Parliament Act, of 1911 has given such a power to the British Speaker.
v
The British Speaker
possesses the full disciplinary authority over the members of the House. The
American Speaker cannot expel a member who is rowdy and does not obey the
chair.
v
The British Speaker can
recognize the member, i.e, he can asked anybody to speak. The American Speaker
was deprived of this power in the 1910-11 rebel against him. Presently, this is
the benefit of the House itself.
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