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Parliament. The life of a Parliament is divided into Sessions, which ends
by Prorogation, and each House may put off its meetings by resolution.
The main functions of Parliament are:
1) to make laws regulating the life of the community;
2) to make available finance for the needs of the community
and to appropriate the funds necessary for the service of the State; 3)
to criticise and control the Government.
The executive consists of government – that is the Prime Minister
and Cabinet. The Prime Minister chooses a team of ministers, of whom 20
or so are in the Cabinet. Ministers may be members of either the House of
Lords or the House of Commons. Certain offices usually carry a seat in the
Cabinet: the Prime Minister, the Home and Foreign Secretaries, the
Defence Secretary, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Secretary for
Scotland, the Lord Chancellor and others. The meetings of the Cabinet are
usually held at 10, Downing Street, which is the residence of the Prime
Minister.
The Cabinet is responsible for initiating and directing the national
policy, government departments, local authorities and public corporations.
The Sovereign's group of close advisers in high matters of state is
known as the Privy Council. In theory it advises the Sovereign to make a
certain course, but in practice it is a court and consists of the Law Lords.

Task 3. Answer the following questions.
1. Who rules the UK?
2. Which of the Parliament chambers has the greatest power?
3. Which of the words are used when the British Government is
mentioned in the press: the Cabinet, the Downing Street 10, White
Hall?
4. Who debates bills?
5. Who runs the Government in Britain?
6. Who appoints Cabinet Ministers and other ministers?
7. Who approves the appointment of the Prime Minister?
8. Who becomes a Member of Parliament?
9. Who gives honours such as peerages, knighthood and medals?
10. Could you name the Head of the Commonwealth?

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