Woolsack

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The Woolsack is the seat of the Lord Speaker in the House of Lords, the Upper House of Parliament in the United Kingdom. The seat is a large, wool-stuffed cushion covered with red cloth; it has neither a back nor arms. The Lords' Mace is placed on the rear part of the Woolsack.

Introduced in the 14th century, the seat was originally stuffed with English wool, which, due to the importance of the wool trade, was a symbol of the nation's prosperity. When the Woolsack was remade after damage in the Second World War, wool from the various nations of the Commonwealth was used, in order to symbolise the Commonwealth's unity.

The Lord Speaker may speak from the Woolsack when speaking in his or her capacity of Speaker of the House, but must, if he or she seeks to debate, deliver his or her remarks either from the left side of the Woolsack, or from the normal seats of the Lords.

If a Deputy Speaker presides in the absence of the Lord Speaker, then that individual uses the Woolsack. However, when the House meets in the "Committee of the Whole", the Woolsack remains unoccupied, and the presiding officer, the Chairman or Deputy Chairman, occupies a Chair at the front of the table of the House.

In front of the Woolsack is an even larger cushion known as the Judges' Woolsack. During the State Opening of Parliament, the Judges' Woolsack is occupied by the Law Lords. The seat, however, is by no means restricted to judges only; during normal sittings, any Lord may occupy it.

[edit] References

• The Woolsack at the UK Parliament site. URL accessed February 6, 2006

• The Interior of the House of Lords at the Explore Parliament website. URL accessed April 25th, 2006. Right-click on the image to see it at full resolution. The woolsacks are the large, low, rectangular objects in front of the throne, surrounded by ropes.