What happens when Parliament is dissolved?

As of Monday April 12 Parliament will be dissolved - But what does this mean and what happens?

Dissolution is the official term for the end of a Parliament which can last up to five years. Before any General Election the Prime Minister must ask the Monarch to grant a dissolution.

Once Parliament is dissolved, the status of "Member of Parliament" ceases to exist. In this time, those who have been elected as MPs continue to be paid until polling day, as do their staff. However, they will not be allowed to enter the House of Commons during the campaign.

The House of Commons will then be vacant until results from the General Election are revealed. MPs are elected from a choice of candidates by a simple majority system in which each person casts one vote. The candidate with the most votes then becomes the MP for that constituency.

The political party that wins a majority of seats in the House of Commons usually forms the Government.

During the campaign, the country is effectively run by civil servants, although the Government, with all its ministers, continues to exist during this period.