HOUSE OF LORDS - United Kingdom Parliament

CHAPTER 2
THE CROWN AND
PARLIAMENTARY SESSIONS
Opening of Parliament
2.01 The proclamation dissolving the old Parliament appoints a day and
place of meeting of the new Parliament. Certain preliminary proceedings
must take place before that day. Accordingly, the new Parliament is
summoned to meet a few days, usually a week, before the Queen’s
Speech. During this period the House of Lords usually sits for two or
three “swearing-in” days. Only business which does not require the
House to take a decision on a motion may be taken on these days. The
principal business is:
proceedings relating to the election of a Speaker of the House of
Commons, which takes place on the first and second days (see
appendix D, page 241), and
administering the oath of allegiance to members of the House. 1
2.02 New members of the House of Lords may be introduced after the
first day.
2.03 A notice is circulated to members before these sittings, informing
them of the time of sitting and the time when the House is likely to
adjourn and advising them of the need to take the oath before sitting or
voting. 2 Members may attend to take the oath at any time the House is
sitting during the swearing-in days. The House sits long enough
(sometimes with short adjournments “during pleasure”) to enable those
who are present to take the oath.
2.04 The election of a Commons Speaker and the swearing-in of
members occur only in the first session of a Parliament. Each subsequent
session is opened with the Queen’s Speech without any preliminary
proceedings. The Queen usually delivers the Speech in person. In her
absence the presiding Commissioner delivers it. The procedure for
delivery of the Queen’s Speech is described in appendix E (page 245).
1 SO 75(1).
2 Procedure 1st Rpt 1970–71.
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