The Senate has existed since , the year in which it was instituted by King William I. When the Netherlands and Belgium were united in the Belgians in particular pressed for the introduction of a bicameral system. In its early years the Senate served as a bulwark of the Crown i.
Such bills were usually private member's bills from the House of Representatives. At that time, the members of the House of Representatives too were elected indirectly.
The members of the Senate were not elected, but were confidants of the King and were appointed for life. The Senate remained in existence after the separation from Belgium in Much changed in the political sphere as a result of the introduction of a new constitution in The position of the Senate and the criteria governing eligibility to stand for election were among the changes.
Monitoring the quality of legislation gradually came to be the main function of the Senate after It thus became a revising chamber or 'Chambre de reflection'. Directly after a bill has been passed by the House of Representatives it is sent to the Senate. Here the bill is submitted to a parliamentary committee. The committee decides whether the bill can be immediately put on the agenda of the full chamber or whether there should first be preparatory study of the bill.
If a bill is immediately put on the agenda of the full chamber, it will be passed as a formality without a debate. The preparatory study of a bill consists mainly in written correspondence and the exchange of documents.
The members of the committee present the views of their parliamentary party in writing and put questions to the Government. The Government replies in a note or memorandum of reply. Sometimes, there may be several rounds of correspondence, but one is generally considered sufficient. After the written preparations have been completed, the Senate is notified that the bill is ready for debate by the full chamber. In due course the bill is then put on the plenary agenda.
The main function of members of the Senate is to scrutinise and revise bills. To do this effectively, they read the official papers and reports as well as letters and articles from newspapers and periodicals.
The members sometimes receive hundreds of letters before a bill is dealt with. Members of the Senate also confer internally and externally. Internal consultations are held for the most part within the parliamentary party or committee concerned.
The procedure to be adopted is one of the matters discussed in the committee meetings. External consultations are held with organisations and citizens. Sometimes members receive visitors or delegations. And in special circumstances a committee may decide to hold a hearing.
Members of the Senate also have the right to ask the Government written questions about issues unconnected with a bill. However, they make only limited use of this right. The general view is that scrutinising the policy and actions of the Government is first and foremost the responsibility of the House of Representatives.
It shows the Senators at work as part-time politicians and as citizens with their own profession. The scrutiny of the quality of the legislative bills is a priority for the Senators. Contents of this page. What is the function of the Senate? How do the two houses of the Dutch Parliament differ? Why have a bicameral system? How did the Senate come into existence? How are bills dealt with by the Senate?
What else do members of the Senate do? We need it to be vigorous and confident in its role, and its membership must be based on a system that gives it the right to ask the government and the Commons to think again. The Commons has voted, by a significant majority, for the second chamber to be largely or wholly elected, and the government continues to work with the other political parties to build a consensus on reform.
Critically, a reformed second chamber must continue to recognise and respect the primacy of the Commons as the house to which the government owes its authority.
The Commons will continue to have the sole right to determine taxation, but a reformed chamber will provide an enhanced role in delivering effective scrutiny and revision.
Philip Hunt Justice minister. To argue there is no need for regional government in England Letters, April 24 is to say we are happy with a ridiculously centralised system, with most of the infrastructure centred on London. A democratic system of regional government, based on some form of proportional representation, and with control over spending on infrastructure, could be a shot in the arm, culturally, politically and economically. It could also provide the basis, as in Germany, for an accountable second chamber at Westminster.
David Richardson Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex. Lords is essential as a revising chamber.
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