Parliamentary sovereignty is a most thinkable constitutional principle of UK's west minister system of parliament. So, here we discuss some important issues on parliamentary sovereignty.

1. A Presentation on Parliamentary
Sovereignty
Course Title-Principles of Constitutional
Law of the U.K.,U.S.A and India
Course No: LJ-2205
Presented To:
Md. Tarik Morshed
Lecturer
Law Discipline
Khulna University.
Researcher and Speaker:
1. Amit Debnath (182809)
2. Khadiza Khatun (182816)
3. Rashida Jahan Disha (182817)
4. Tawsif Anik (182836)
2nd Year, 2nd Term
Law Discipline
Khulna University

2. What is parliament?
• A group of elected people
• who makes law
• Who discusses about public affairs
• Who checks the work of the government.

Britain is a parliamentary monarchy. The British Parliament
is a bicameral parliament, that is to say that it is made up
of two chambers or two "Houses"; above the two Houses,
but in an essentially formal role, there is the Sovereign -
king or queen – also known as "the crown."

3. Parliament of U.K.
 The Crown:
• The British monarch has all authority, but no power.
• The Crown appoints the Prime Minister.
• The major function of the Crown "royal assent".
• weekly meeting with the Prime Minister.
 The House of Lords:
• This is the "Upper House of the British Parliament.
• It consists of about 750 members most of whom are the life Peers.
• The house of lords is currently a non-elected chamber.
• The member of the House of Lords consist of Lords Spiritual and Lords Temporal.
• All the bills from the House of Commons are approved quickly by the House of
Lords
• The House of Lords use of his prerogative in exceptional cases.

4. Parliament of U.K.
 The House of Commons:
• The House of Commons is the main House of the legislative
power.
• It is a chamber composed of 650 members .
• The duration of a Parliament is five years.
• The member of the house of commons is elected by public.
• Most of the 'Public Bills, Money Bills, which are introduced
by a government minister and change the general law.

5. Parliamentary Sovereignty
The word ‘sovereignty’ basically means control or authority. So, the term
“Parliamentary Sovereignty” means that the parliament has absolute control
and it is supreme over all other Governmental institutions. It is also called
legislative supremacy.
Parliamentary sovereignty holds that the parliament may change or repeal any
previous legislation and so it is not bound by written law ( even a constitution)
or by precedent.
Definition of A. V. Dicey
Example: Many states have sovereign legislature, including the U.K, Finland,
Sweden, Netherland, New Zeeland, Norway, Denmark, Iceland.

6. Parliamentary Sovereignty cont…
Characteristics of parliamentary sovereignty:
Uncodified and flexible constitution.
 Generally, there is no Judicial review.
 No authority, court or branch which can declare any
law passed by the parliament void or illegal.
 Parliament can modify or change any law.
 Parliament exercises unlimited power in making or
modifying law.

7. Parliamentary Sovereignty
 Three key rules of Dicey:
1) Parliament can make or unmake any law:
 There is no subject matter on which parliament can not make
law.
 Burmah Oil Company vs. Lord Advocate
2) Parliament can not bind its successor
 Each parliament will enjoy the same unlimited power as any
parliament before it.
 No parliament can enact rules which limit future parliament.
 Vauxhall Estate Ltd v. Liverpool Corporation(1932)

8. Parliamentary Sovereignty
3) No one can question parliament's law
 Court or any other legal body can not question the
validity of a law enacted by parliament. The Court can
give suggestions.
 British Railways Board v. Pickin (1974)

9. How much sovereign is the
parliament of U.K.?
Parliament has the ultimate political authority.
Local government and public bodies are granted or removed
by parliament.
All new primary legislation must be passed by the parliament.
Ship Money Case (1637)
Secondary legislation made by ministers can be overruled by
parliament.
The court can’t question to the Acts passed by the parliament.
Chief Justice Coke’s opinion in Dr. Bonham’s Case
(1610)
Lord Rein’s opinion in Pickin vs. British Railway
Board.(1974)

10. How much sovereign is the
parliament of U.K.? Cont…
• There are factors that affect the supremacy of
parliament-
1.Devolution of power to Scottish parliament
and Wales assembly.
2.The developments including integration of U.K.
with EU.
3. The Human Rights Act, 1998.

11. Comparison of sovereignty between
U.K. and Bangladeshi parliament
In case of types of supremacy.
In case of law making.
In case of check and balance.
In case of bound by its predecessor.