Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of House of Lords (1,200 seats; four-fifths of the members are hereditary peers, two archbishops, 24 other senior bishops, serving and retired Lords of Appeal in Ordinary, other life peers, Scottish peers) and House of Commons (659 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms unless the House is dissolved earlier) elections: House of Lords—no elections; House of Commons—last held 1 May 1997 (next to be held by NA May 2002); note—in 1998 elections were held for a Northern Ireland Parliament; in 1999 there will be elections for a new Scottish parliament and a new Welsh Assembly election results: House of Commons—percent of vote by party—Labor 44.5%, Conservative 31%, Liberal Democratic 17%, other 7.5%; seats by party—Labor 418, Conservative 165, Liberal Democrat 46, other 30
Judicial branch: House of Lords, several Lords of Appeal in
Ordinary are appointed by the monarch for life
Political parties and leaders: Conservative and Unionist Party
Political pressure groups and leaders: Trades Union Congress;
Confederation of British Industry; National Farmers' Union; Campaign
for Nuclear Disarmament
International organization participation: AfDB, AsDB, Australia
Group, BIS, C, CCC, CDB (non-regional), CE, CERN, CP, EAPC, EBRD,
ECA (associate), ECE, ECLAC, EIB, ESA, ESCAP, EU, FAO, G- 5, G- 7,
G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM
(observer), ISO, ITU, MTCR, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD,
OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNOMIG, UNOMSIL, UNRWA, UNU, UPU, WCL,
WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Sir Christopher J. R. MEYER chancery: 3100 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco consulate(s): Dallas, Miami, and Seattle
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Philip LADER embassy: 24/31 Grosvenor Square, London, W. 1A1AE mailing address: PSC 801, Box 40, FPO AE 09498-4040 consulate(s) general: Belfast, Edinburgh
Flag description: blue with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of England) edged in white superimposed on the diagonal red cross of Saint Patrick (patron saint of Ireland) which is superimposed on the diagonal white cross of Saint Andrew (patron saint of Scotland); known as the Union Flag or Union Jack; the design and colors (especially the Blue Ensign) have been the basis for a number of other flags including other Commonwealth countries and their constituent states or provinces, as well as British overseas territories
Economy
Economy—overview: The UK is one of the world's great trading powers and financial centers, and its essentially capitalistic economy ranks among the four largest in Western Europe. Over the past two decades the government has greatly reduced public ownership and contained the growth of social welfare programs. Agriculture is intensive, highly mechanized, and efficient by European standards, producing about 60% of food needs with only 1% of the labor force. The UK has large coal, natural gas, and oil reserves; primary energy production accounts for 10% of GDP, one of the highest shares of any industrial nation. Services, particularly banking, insurance, and business services, account by far for the largest proportion of GDP while industry continues to decline in importance, now employing only 18% of the work force. Economic growth is slowing, and Britain may experience a short recession in 1999. As a result, unemployment probably will begin to rise again. The BLAIR government has put off the question of participation in the euro system until after the next election, not expected until 2001, but Chancellor of the Exchequer BROWN is committed to preparing the British economy for eventual membership.