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The Houses of Parliament & Big Ben

The Houses of Parliament & Big Ben   Palace of Westminster Westminster London SW1A 0AA Telephone: +44 (0) 20 7219 3000 Web: www.parliament.uk The House of Commons Information Office House of Commons London SW1A 2TT Telephone: +44 (0) 20 7219 4272 Fax: +44 (0) 20 7219 5839 Email: hcinfo@parliament.uk House of Lords Information Office House of Lords London SW1A 0PW Telephone: +44 (0) 20 7219 3107 Fax: +44 (0) 20 7219 0620 Email: hlinfo@parliament.uk   Edward the Confessor had the original palace built in the eleventh century. The British parliament is the seat of the Government of the United Kingdom. The Palace of Westminster consists of the House of Commons (elected) and the House of Lords (not elected- hereditary and nominated). Big Ben, one of Londons famous landmarks is found at the Houses of Parliament. Big Ben is not the clock tower but the thirteenth bell which strikes the hour. It is counterweighted with old pennies! Parliamentary government in the United Kingdom is based on a two-chamber system. The House of Lords (the upper House-not elected) and the House of Commons (the lower house-elected at least every 5 years) sit separately and are constituted on entirely different principles. The legislative process involves both Houses - the Commons and the Lords. The main functions of Parliament are to: examine proposals for new laws, provide, by voting for taxation, the means of carrying on the work of government, scrutinise government policy and administration, including proposals for expenditure and to debate the major issues of the day.

	Rail: Charing Cross and Waterloo  Underground: Westminster Station
	The sitting hours of the House of Commons are as follows: Monday: 2.30pm - 10.30pm Tuesday: 2.30pm - 10.30pm Wednesday: 11.30am - 7.30pm Thursday: 10.30am - 6.30pm Fridays (when sitting): 9.30am - 3.00pm The House of Commons also sits in an additional Chamber known as Westminster Hall. Sitting times for Westminster Hall are as follows: Tuesday: 9.30am - 11.30am; 2.00pm - 4.30pm Wednesday: 9.30am - 11.30am; 2.00pm - 4.30pm Thursday: 2.30pm - 5.30pm The sitting times for the House of Lords are as follows: Monday: 2.30pm - 10pm Tuesday: 2.30pm -10pm Wednesday: 3pm - 10pm Thursday: 11am - 7.30pm Sitting Friday: from 11am - close of business Further information is available via the Parliamentary web site at: www.parliament.uk through the 'Visiting Parliament' page. Information for UK visitors who wish to watch a debate, attend a committee meeting, arrange a tour etc. can be found at http://www.parliament.uk/about/visiting/uk.cfm Overseas visitors can locate information at http://www.parliament.uk/about/visiting/overseas.cfm Maps of the Parliamentary Estate - www.parliament.uk/about/visiting/directions/maps.cfm Finally, the House of Commons and the House of Lords do not usually sit during August, September and early October, during the two or three weeks before and after Christmas and for a week or so at Easter and at the Spring Bank Holiday.
	Admission to both houses is free. Guided tours for groups, up to 16, may be available by prior arrangement.

The Houses of Parliament and Big Ben in London England UK is one of the tourist attractions in the United Kingdom

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Last updated July 2005

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