The office and role of Speaker
A research briefing on the office and role of the Speaker of the House of Commons

This briefing discusses the procedure for revising Government spending plans in-year. It summarises the changes the Government proposes to Departmental budgets in 2017-18.
Revised Government spending plans for 2017-18 (542 KB , PDF)
One of Parliament’s longest standing functions is the consideration and authorisation of the Government’s spending plans, requiring the Government to obtain parliamentary consent before spending public money.
A previous library note set out changes that are taking place to the debates associated with Estimates- the Estimates Day Debates. From now on, any backbench Member can submit a bid to Backbench Business Committee for a debate on public spending for one of these debates. Debate bids should relate to issues related to public spending included in Estimates.
The first allocation of debates follows the publication of the 2017-18 Supplementary Estimates on 7 February 2018.
This note gives details of the content of the 2017-18 Supplementary Estimates – the changes the government proposes to current year Departmental budgets.
Among notable changes proposed are:
Revised Government spending plans for 2017-18 (542 KB , PDF)
A research briefing on the office and role of the Speaker of the House of Commons
A briefing paper on the history of and procedure relating to Royal Assent, not just in the UK Parliament but in the devolved legislatures and for Church of England Measures.
Recall allows voters to remove an elected representative between elections by signing a petition. This briefing explains how UK recall petitions work.