Watching Parliament at work
Debates in Parliament are public, and anyone can go in and listen.
London: the UK Parliament
Members of the public can watch debates in the Palace of Westminster from the public galleries of the House of Commons and the House of Lords. It's free. You can ask your MP for tickets ahead of time by writing to them, or just join the queue at the public entrance on the day. For the Commons the wait can be an hour or two, or even longer; getting into the Lords is usually easier.
The three devolved bodies
- Northern Ireland: MLAs sit at Stormont, in Belfast. To arrange a visit, contact the Assembly's Education Service, use the Assembly's website, or ask an MLA.
- Scotland: MSPs sit in the Parliament building at Holyrood, Edinburgh. The visitor services team can give you information, book tickets and arrange tours.
- Wales: AMs meet in the Senedd in Cardiff Bay. You can book a guided tour or a seat in the public gallery.
Quiz
Which TWO are ways to get into the public galleries to watch debates in the House of Commons?
You can write to your local MP in advance to ask for tickets, or queue at the public entrance on the day. Entry is free, so there is no ticket to buy, and neither the Speaker's office nor the Prime Minister's office hands out gallery tickets.
Quiz
Is the statement below TRUE or FALSE? Getting a seat in the public gallery is normally harder at the House of Lords than at the House of Commons.
False. It's the other way round. For the Commons you may have to queue for an hour or two, while the Lords is usually easier to get into. Watching from the public gallery is free in both Houses.