Members of Parliament hold most of their debates in the House of Commons Chamber. The Speaker who controls proceedings, sits on a raised chair at one end of the Chamber with the Government party to the right and the Opposition to the left.Government ministers and those speaking for the official opposition sit on the benches either side of the table in front of the Speaker and are often called frontbenchers. MPs who are not ministers or opposition spokespersons are often called backbenches .
 | | The House of Commons Chamber is really quite small. Although there are 659 MPs, there are only seats for 427 so sometimes, when very important matters are being discussed, Members will be squeezed onto the benches and some will sit on the steps. The benches and carpets are green – the colour traditionally associated with the House of Commons. |
As there is not enough time for everything to be debated in the House of Commons Chamber, some debates take place in parallel in the Westminster Hall Chamber, located just off Westminster Hall. House of Commons committees meet in smaller rooms upstairs in the Palace of Westminster or in Portcullis House which is a modern building next door to the Palace.
