Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1921.djvu/59

 CONSTITUTION AND OOVEPwXMENT

Reign

Parliament

When met

When dissolved

Existed

V. M. D.

Victoria.

lit

15 Nov. 1837

S3

June

1841

3 7 9

2nd

1» Ang. 1841

23

Jolv

1847

5 11 4

...

3rd

11 Nov 1847

1

Juh-

4 7 21

,..

4th

4 Nf.v. 1852

M

Mar.

1857

4 4 18

.

5th

30 April 1S57

23

April

1859

1 11 23

«

6th

31 Mar 1859

6

July

1865

6 1 6

,,.

7th

1 Feb. Vm

11

1868

2 9 11

...

sth

10 Dec 1868

26

Jan.

1874

5 1 M

,,.

9th

4 Mar. 1874

25

Mar.

1SS0

21

.<

10th

20 April 1880

18

Nov.

1885

5 6 20

...

11th

12 Jan. 1886

26

Jnne

1886

5 14

12th

5 Aug. 1886

28

Jnne

1892

1 10 23

,, •

13th

4 Ang. 1892

I

July

1805

2 11 4

14th

12 Aul-

25

1900

5 1 13

lf.th

3 Dec 1900

8

Jan

1906

t 1 5

Edward VII.

1st

IS Feh. 1906

10

Jan.

191U

3 11 24

,,

2n<l

• . 1910

Nov.

lPlu

9 14

George V.

1st 2nd

31 Jan. 1911 4 V e b. 1910

Nov.

1918

7 9 25

The executive government of Great Britain and Ireland is vested nominally in the Crown, but practically in a committee of Ministers, called the Cabinet, whose existence is dependent on the support of a majority in the House of Commons. In November, 1918, the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland set up an advisory Council of seven members to advise on matters affecting Ireland.

An Act to establish a separate Parliament in Ireland was passed in 1914, but never came into force. In 1990 this was repealed and a new Act passed, the Government of Ireland Act, 1920, under which two Parliaments are to be established, one for " Northern Ireland " (comprising the parliamentary counties of Antrim, Armaeh. Down, Fermanagh, Londonderry, and Tyrone, and the parliamentary boroughs of Belfast and Londonderry), and one for 'Southern Ireland " (the rest of the" country). Each Parliament will consist of a Senate and a House of Commons, and will have i<ower to legislate for their respective areas except in regard to (1) matters of Imperial concern, and (2) certain matters concern- ing Ireland which are temporarily -'reserve-!" to the Imper al Parliament (police, postal service, Post Office and Trustee savings banks, designs for stamps, registration of deed*. Public Record Office, land purchase). Certain funds derived from Irish taxation will he allocated to tie two Irish Exchequers, after deduction of (1) a contribution towards Imperial liabilities and expenditure (temporarily fixed at £18.000.000 a year) and (2) the cost of " reserved "services, while the Parliaments are eiven certain powers of independent taxation. The executive power is vested in the Lord Lieutenant (appointed for six years), advised by ministers responsible to the respective Parliaments. The Senate of S. Ireland will consist of 3 ex officio, 17 nominated, and 44 elected persons; that of N. Ireland, of 2 ex-officio and 94 elected persons. Senators will hold office for a fixed term of years. ' The House of Commons of S. Ireland will consist of 128 and that of N. Ireland of 52 elected members, and the Houses will continue for five years, unless sooner dissolved. Money Bills must originate in the Commons, a»d the powers of the Senates with respect thereto are limited. Disagreement between the two Houses is to be settled by joint sitting*. The qualifications for membership of the Parliaments are similar to those for membership of the Imperial House of Commons. Ireland will cntinne to return 46 members to the latter.

There is also to be e.-tablished a " Council of Ireland," consisting of 40 persons elected in equal numbers by the two Parliaments. This Council will administer the railways and fisheries, Diseases of Animals Acts, and any powers deleeated to it bv identical Acts of the two Parliaments, and it may consider any questions hearing on the welfare of Ireland and make su^estions in relation thereto to the two Parliaments. The latter may establish bv identical Acts, in lien of this Council, a Parliament for the whole of Ireland, consisting of two Houses, and so bring about Irish Union. This Parliament will take over the powers of the two Parliaments, except as otherwise provided, and will also control certain of the services temporarily " reserved " to the Imperial Parliament.

The Act is to come into force generally on Mav 3. 1921.

The Cabinet, prior to December, 1916, consisted of the political chiefs of the principal Government Department*, and exceeded twentv in number. With the formation of Mr. Lloyd George's Government at that date, the Cabinet vm reduced to about six in number. This Cabinet became known as the ' War Cabinet, ' and, as occasion required, was expanded into an ' Tmnprial Wir Po1«'t><»* * K~ fk. ;.„l„ n :. ca. t>_- ms_«^. , .,