Editing Woolsack (section)

==Ceremonial role==

[[Image:Woolsack (Irish House of Lords).jpg|thumb|The woolsack in the former [[Irish House of Lords]].]]

The Woolsack is a large, [[wool]]-stuffed [[cushion]] covered with red cloth; it has neither a back nor arms, though, in the centre of the Woolsack, there is a back-rest. The Lords' [[ceremonial mace|Mace]] is placed on the rear part of the Woolsack when the House is in session.<ref name=HP1 /> The Lord Speaker may speak from the Woolsack when speaking in their capacity as Speaker of the House but, if seeking to debate, must deliver their remarks either from the left side of the Woolsack or from the normal seats of the Lords.<ref name=companion>{{harvnb|Great Britain Parliament House of Lords|2010|pp=38–41}}</ref>

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]].<ref name=companion />

To keep dignity and order, members of the House must not pass between the woolsack and any member who is speaking or between the woolsack and the clerk's table. If members wish to talk to each other while the House is sitting, they are not permitted to speak behind the woolsack and must retire to the [[Prince's Chamber]].<ref name=":0" />
[[File:Screenshot_of_the_UK_Parliamentary_woolsack_2016.png|thumb|right|The Woolsack in 2016, showing the [[ceremonial mace]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.parliament.uk/business/lords/lord-speaker/the-role-of-lord-speaker/|title=The Lord Speaker's Role|publisher=[[Parliament of the United Kingdom]]|website=Parliament.uk|access-date=May 23, 2018}}</ref>]]

In front of the Woolsack are two even larger cushions known as the Judges' Woolsack.<ref name=companion3>{{harvnb|Great Britain Parliament House of Lords|2013|pp=30–31}} - Plan of the chamber including the location of Judges Woolsack</ref> Any member of the House can sit on these two cushions during sessions.<ref name=":0" /> During the [[State Opening of Parliament]], the Judges' Woolsack is occupied by the [[Lord Chief Justice]], the [[Master of the Rolls]], the [[President of the King's Bench Division]], the [[President of the Family Division]], the [[Chancellor of the High Court]], the [[Lords Justices of Appeal]] and the [[Justices of the High Court]], all of whom are summoned by writ to attend.<ref name=companion2>{{harvnb|Great Britain Parliament House of Lords|2013|pp=17–18}}</ref> The [[Justices of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom]], who are likewise summoned to attend the State Opening, are seated nearby, as their predecessors the [[Law Lords]] formerly sat on the benches as [[Lords Temporal]].