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HOUSE OF LORDS - United Kingdom Parliament

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APPENDIX D<br />

OPENING <strong>OF</strong> A NEW PARLIAMENT AND ELECTION <strong>OF</strong><br />

COMMONS SPEAKER<br />

The election of a Speaker of the House of Commons takes place only at<br />

the beginning of a new <strong>Parliament</strong> and not at the beginning of subsequent<br />

sessions.<br />

First day<br />

On the day appointed the Lord Speaker, in her black gown, preceded by<br />

the Mace, enters the House by the Bar and takes her seat on the<br />

Woolsack. No prayers are said at this stage. The Leader of the House or<br />

another Government Minister rises and says:<br />

“My Lords,<br />

It not being convenient for Her Majesty to be personally present here<br />

this day, She has been pleased to cause a Commission under the<br />

Great Seal to be prepared in order to the holding of this <strong>Parliament</strong>.”<br />

The Lord Speaker then leaves the Chamber by the door on the spiritual<br />

side near the Throne, the Mace remaining on the Woolsack. The Lords<br />

Commissioners enter, and the Commons are summoned (see<br />

appendix C, page 239).<br />

Black Rod summons the Commons with the following words:<br />

“Members of the House of Commons,<br />

The Lords who are authorised by virtue of Her Majesty’s Commission<br />

to declare the Opening of <strong>Parliament</strong>, desire the presence of this<br />

Honourable House in the House of Peers to hear the Commission<br />

read.”<br />

The presiding Commissioner says:<br />

“My Lords and Members of the House of Commons,<br />

We are commanded by Her Majesty to let you know that, it not<br />

being convenient for Her to be present here this day in Her Royal<br />

Person, she has thought fit by Letters Patent under the Great Seal to<br />

empower several Lords therein named to do all things in Her<br />

Majesty’s Name which are to be done on Her Majesty’s Part in this<br />

<strong>Parliament</strong>, as by the Letters Patent will more fully appear.”<br />

The Commission is read (see appendix C, page 239).<br />

241

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