Relations with other Members

By convention, a Member intending to make an accusation against or reflection on another must notify the other Member in advance. A Member who intends to speak in another's constituency will generally inform the other Member in advance. This is regarded as essential between Members of the same party, but is not always observed to the same extent where political opponents are concerned. Ministers always inform the constituency Member of such a speaking engagement. Members will in general take up constituency cases only from their own constituents. If they receive a letter from a non-constituent they will forward it to the constituency MP concerned.

Endorsements on Bills – the Use of Norman French.

There are some of the conventions and practices governing the sending of bills between the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The processes of legislation require that the same text of every Bill be approved by both Houses. The transmission of bills between the Houses always involves a formal procedure.

If the House of Lords has passed one or more Bills, they send a message to the commons by one of their senior Clerks. Messages have taken the same form for more than 200 years: «The Lords have passed a Bill, intituled… to which they desire the concurrence of this House.» However, endorsements on the Bills themselves are made in Norman French (in this case «soit baille aux communies») a relic of the very early days of Parliament. On a Commons Bill to which the Lords have agreed, is endorsed «A ceste Bille les Seigneurs sont assentus,» if amended «avecue des amendements» is added after «Bille.»

If a Commons Bill has been amended by the Lords, and the Commons subsequently disagree with the Lords Amendments, Reasons for the disagreement are stated in the message to the Lords. The Bill is endorsed «Ceste Bille est remise aux Siegneurs avecque des raisons.» These Reasons are drawn up by a Reasons Committee that is nominated and directed to withdraw forthwith after the votes on the merits of the amendments have been takes. The Reasons – in English – are usually concise and extremely terse. Before the mid-19^th century, the Houses held a conference to present or discuss these reasons.

Bills sent by the Commons to the Lords that are Money Bills in the meaning of the Parliament Act 1911 are endorsed (in English) by the Speaker. Bills sent for the Royal Assent under the Parliament Acts 1911 and 1949 without the agreement of the Lords are endorsed in English, and the enacting formula scored through and altered by the Commons.

A Bill, passed by one House and sent to the other, should not be withdrawn by the Member in Charge in the second House, out of courtesy to the first. However, should the Commons reject or decide not to proceed with a Lords Bill, the Commons does not inform the Lords of this fact nor do the Lords in the case of a Commons Bill.

The formulae for Royal Assent are also given in Norman French at the Prorogation ceremony. «La Reyne le veult» is the formula for public (and since 1850, also for most private) bills, and «Soit fait comme il est desire» for private bills due to become personal Acts.