Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1913.djvu/127

 CONSTITUTION AND GOVERNMENT 5

Importaiit alterations were made in the Constitution by the Parliament Act, 1911 (1 and 2 Geo. V, ch. 13). Under this Act, all Jlonev Bills (so oertitied by the Speak- r of the House of Commons), if not passed by the House of Lords without amendment, may become law without their con- cnrrence on the royal assent being signified. Public Bills, other than Money Bills or a Bill extending the maximum duration of Parliament, if passed by the House of Commons in three successive sessions, whether of the same Parliament or not, and rejected each time (or not passed) by the House of Lords-, may become law without their concurrence on the royal assent being signified, provided that two years have elapsed between the second reading in the hrst session of the House ot Commons, and the third reading in the third session. All Bills coming under this Act must reach the House of Lords at least one month before the end of the session. Finall}^, the Parliament Act limits the maximum duration of Parliament to five years instead of seven. The present form of Parliament, as divided into two Houses of Legis- lature, the Lords and the Commons, dates from the middle of the fourteenth century.

The House of Lords consists of peers who hold their seats— (1) by hereditary right ; (2) by creation of the sovereign ; (3) by virtue of office- Law Lords and English bishops ; (4) by election for life— Irish peers ; (5) by election for duration of Parliament — Scottish peers. The full house would consist (in 1912) of 686. There are, besides, 15 peeresses of the United Kingdom and 3 Scottish peeresses in their own right, and 19 Scottish and 59 Irish peers who are not peers of Parliament.

The House of Commons consists of members representing County, Borough, and University constituencies in the three Divisions of the United Kingdom. No one under 21 years ot age can be a member of Parliament. All clerg3nnen of the Church of England, ministers of the Church pf Scotland, and Roman Catholic clergymen are disqualified from sitting as members ; all Government contractors, and all sheriflis, and re- turning officers for the localities for which they act, are disqualified both from voting and from sitting as members. No English or Scottish peer can be elected to the House of Commons, Imt non-representative Irish peers are eligible.

In August, 1911, by resolution of the House of Commons, provision was made for the payment of a salary of 400/, per year to members, other than those already in receipt of salaries as officers of the House, as Ministers, or as officers of His Majesty's household. This provision does not extend to the House of Lords.

Every elector nmst be of full age, and must be registered in the electoral lists. Property qualifications are restricted to counties and to such boroughs as have county privileges. In England they are ; the holding oi an estate (1) in freehold of the annual value of 40 shillings; (2) of lands in life tenure of the annual value of 5/. ; (3) held on lease of at least 60 years of the annual value of 51., or of at least 20 years of the annual value of 501. Similar, but not identical, qualifications exist in Scotland and Ireland. Throughout the United Kingdom, in counties, occuxmtion of a tenement ^^•hich is rated for the support of the poor, and for ^\•hich the rates have been paid by the prescribed date, constitutes a qualification, but in English boroughs the occupation franchise is associated with 6 months' residence, and in Scotch boroughs with 12 months' residence. Every inhabitant occupier who has for 12 monthe, within the United Kingdom, inhabited a rated dwelling-house for Avhich the rates have l)een paid is entitled to registration, and lodgers occupying for 12 months the same lodgings of the value of 10?. a year, may have a vote. There are, besides,