Back benches
The back benches are seats in the House of Commons on either side of the chamber that are not occupied by Government or Opposition spokesmen (who usually sit on the front rows nearest the Speaker).

Backbencher
A Backbencher is a Member who holds no official position in government or in his or her party. Backbenchers sit on the back benches in the Chamber.

Backwoodsman
Backwoodsman was a term sometimes used to describe a Peer who was seldom present in the House of Lords. When there was a very important vote in the House of Lords, political parties tried to encourage those that supported them to turn up for the division, including those who rarely attended the House.

Ballot
A ballot is the term often used in connection with parliamentary elections. It simply means a vote. In the UK ballots are secret - no one knows who votes for whom. At an election voters put a cross next to the candidate they have chosen on a ballot paper. They then fold the paper and put it into a ballot box. The ballot box is not opened until all the votes have been collected ready for counting.

Bar of the House
The Bar of the House is the name given to a white line across the width of the Chamber of the House of Commons and to a rail in the House of Lords, marking their boundaries. MPs are called to the bar of the House of Lords at the Opening of Parliament and to hear the Royal Assent to Acts of Parliament. They are not allowed beyond this point when the House is sitting. In the House of Commons, Members of the House of Lords and the public are not allowed beyond the bar when the House is sitting.

Below the Gangway
The gangway is a set of stairs which divides the benches on each side of the House of Commons Chamber. The benches 'below the gangway' are generally where the minority parties sit.

Bi-cameral system
A bi-cameral system is a parliamentary system of two legislative chambers. The British system is bi-cameral because both the House of Lords and the House of Commons are involved in the process of making new laws. Bi-cameral means literally 'two chamber'.

Bill
A Bill is a proposal for a new law which is debated by Parliament. A Bill becomes an Act when it has received Royal Assent. A Bill may be introduced into either House, with the exception of Money Bills which the Lords cannot initiate or amend.

Bill of Rights 1689
The Bill of Rights was a declaration of Rights presented by the House of Commons to William and Mary before they replaced James II on the throne. Parliament wanted to reduce the rights of the Monarch and increase its own authority. The Bill of Rights made illegal the suspension of laws by Royal authority without Parliament’s consent; the power to dispense with laws; the establishment of special courts of law; levying money by Royal prerogative without Parliament’s consent; and a standing army in peacetime without Parliament's consent. It also asserted a right to petition the sovereign, freedom of parliamentary elections, freedom of speech in parliamentary debates, and the necessity of frequent parliaments. The Bill of Rights also specified who would be in line of succession for the throne.

Black Rod
The Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod is more usually known simply as Black Rod. He is known to the public for the important role he plays in the ceremony of the State Opening of Parliament, when he is sent to the House of Commons to summon MPs to the House of Lords to hear the Queen's Speech . It is traditional that as he reaches the chamber of the House of Commons, the door is slammed in his face. He then knocks three times on the door with the black rod that he carries before being admitted. Black Rod is responsible for accommodation, security and services in the House of Lords. He has a chair in the House of Lords and wears a distinctive black costume. His role is similar to that of the Serjeant at Arms in the House of Commons.

Boundary Commission
The Boundary Commissions recommend changes to the borders of parliamentary constituencies. There are Commissions for each of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Boundary Commissions look at constituencies every eight to twelve years and, using a rather complicated set of rules, draw new boundaries as fairly as possible taking account of local ties. The aim is to make sure that constituencies have roughly the same number of electors so that Parliament more accurately reflects the will of the voters.

Budget
The Budget statement is the annual estimate of revenue and expenditure presented by the Chancellor of the Exchequer to the House of Commons. The budget has been presented on a Wednesday following Prime Minister's Questions since 2001. Prior to that, Budgets were usually presented on Tuesdays, though they can occur on any day. Budgets are traditionally presented in the Spring but from 1993 to 1996 they were in November. Further information can be obtained from factsheet P5 on the UK Parliament website.

Budget box
The budget speech was traditionally carried to the House of Commons on Budget Day in a battered red despatch box first used by Gladstone in around 1860. James Callaghan did not use the red box when he was Chancellor (1965-67); he used a larger brown box. Chancellor Gordon Brown used a new budget box for his first Budget in 1997, one made for him by young trainees in his Dunfermline East constituency.

By-election
A by-election occurs when a seat in the House of Commons becomes vacant during the lifetime of a Parliament (i.e. between general elections) because the sitting MP dies, resigns (by applying for the Chiltern Hundreds), is elevated to the peerage, or becomes ineligible to sit for some other reason. If a vacancy occurs when the House is in session, the Chief Whip of the Party that formerly held the seat moves a Motion for a new writ. This leads to the by-election taking place. Prior notice does not have to be given in the Order Paper of the House. There is no time limit in which a new writ has to be issued, although by convention it is usually done within three months of a seat becoming vacant. There have been times when seats have remained empty for more than six months before a by-election was called. The sitting party will obviously choose a time when they feel confident of success. Seats are often left vacant towards the end of a Parliament to be filled at the General Election though this is not always the case and by-elections have sometimes occurred just before the dissolution of Parliament. While a vacancy exists a member of the same party in a neighbouring constituency handles constituency matters. When the new Member is elected in the by-election, all outstanding matters are handed back. Further information can be obtained from factsheet M7 on the UK Parliament website.