Parliamentary speeches are given by leaders in political office of some kind or by students required to speak about a political topic. High school and college students are often asked to give this type of speech, especially students studying political science. A declamation speech is also given by students of these age groups, and sometimes even junior high school students. A declamation speech is not written by the speaker, though, but rather is taken from a copy of a speech given in the past.
The topic chosen for either type of speech must contain a political theme. For a parliamentary speech, topics can include forms of parliamentary democracies, functions of the Speaker of the House, and elections for the Senate. Speeches used for declamation speeches can either be famous speeches from the past, such as John F. Kennedy's inaugural address, or they can be less-famous oratories delivered by political or historical leaders.
A parliamentary speech is written completely by the speaker himself. It normally contains the primary elements of every speech: an introduction, body and a conclusion. It must focus on one particular topic and end with a strong conclusion. A declamation speech, on the other hand, is chosen by the speaker. With this type of speech, the speaker simply reads the exact speech from the past word for word, requiring no original remarks from the speaker.
The purpose of a parliamentary speech is often to debate a political subject. The purpose of a declamation speech is simply to learn public speaking skills -- often a requirement for college students. Students giving a declamation speech are often asked to avoid making facial expressions or gestures, and are encouraged to keep their arms straight and stiff throughout the entire speech.