The House of Commons is the democratically elected lower chamber of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It holds the constitutional mandate to debate and pass primary legislation, authorize taxation and public expenditure, and scrutinize executive government policy. Tracing its roots to representatives meeting separately from nobility by 1341, the modern UK Commons was formally established in 1801 following the Act of Union with Ireland and cemented its legislative supremacy over the House of Lords via the Parliament Act 1911.