General Election
A General Election is when the electors of the country cast their votes to elect Members of Parliament. The Parliament Act 1911 established the maximum life of a Parliament, that is the time between General Elections, as 5 years. The reasons for calling a General Election on a specific date are varied, but generally stem from a government's desire to obtain a further or increased majority in the House of Commons for the next five years - to have a further five years in power. A government cannot operate effectively unless it can command the support of the majority of MPs within the House of Commons. Should it fail to hold the confidence of the majority of the House, it has to call a General Election. Once dissolution has been announced, the Clerk of the Crown in Chancery issues Writs of Election. At this time the date of meeting for the new Parliament will also be announced. Although the Government continues in office, there cease to be any MPs and former Members may not use the facilities of the House whilst the General Election is in progress. At the beginning of a new Parliament the Clerk of the Crown in Chancery will deliver to the Clerk of the House a return book, which lists the members who won constituency seats and therefore have the right to serve in Parliament.

Give Way
'Give way' is the term used by MPs who want to interrupt a MP who is speaking in the House of Commons. An MP cannot intervene when another MP is speaking to the House unless that MP allows it by giving way. There is no equivalent phrase in the House of Lords although some former MPs occasionally still use the term.

Government
Government is like the management of the country. It is made up of the different Departments run by Ministers and is headed by the Prime Minister. The Government is formed by the party that gains the most seats in the House of Commons at a General Election . The leader of that party becomes the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister selects the members of the Government from MPs, Peers and very occasionally senior people outside Parliament. The Government does not make laws - Parliament makes laws. The Government can propose new laws in the form of Bills which it presents to Parliament for consideration. In practice, because the Government is formed from the largest party, the laws that it proposes are usually agreed by Parliament. The Government is sometimes also known as the 'executive' because it is the part of the British system that is responsible for carrying out or executing the laws of the country.

Grand Committee
There are three Grand Committees, one each for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. They each consist of all MPs who represent constituencies in that country together with up to five other members in the Welsh Grand Committee and not more than 25 other members in the Northern Ireland Grand Committee who are nominated by the Committee of Selection. They meet either at Westminster or in the country they cover and deal with questions to ministers, short debates, ministerial statements, the consideration of bills before their second or third readings, and other legislative proposals.

Great Seal
The Great Seal is a large silver seal used to stamp all official documents from the sovereign such as proclamations and writs. A new seal has been made for each monarch since the time of William the Conqueror. The current seal was made in July 2001. The Great Seal is kept by the Lord Chancellor and is carried into the House of Lords Chamber in the Purse by the Purse Bearer on official occasions. On most working days the Great Seal is locked away and the empty Purse is carried into the Chamber and put on the Woolsack.

Green Card
A Green Card is a card that you fill in if you want to see your MP at the Palace of Westminster. If you want to visit your MP at the House of Commons you can go through the public entrance of the building and fill out your details on a Green Card in the Central Lobby. The officials in the building will then make every possible attempt to find the MP and ask him or her to meet you in the Central Lobby. If the MP cannot be found a message is left. MPs are not always in Westminster as they have a lot of work to do in their constituencies and elsewhere and it is best to make an appointment in advance.

Green Paper
Green papers are consultation documents produced by the Government. Often when a Government Department is considering introducing a new law, it will put together a discussion document called a Green Paper. The aim of this document is to allow people both inside and outside Parliament to debate the subject and give the department feedback on its suggestions.

Courtesy of www.parliament.uk