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UK Government

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  1. Parliament

    Overview of Parliament
  2. House of Commons
  3. House of Lords
  4. Summary: Parliament
    1 Quiz
UK Government House of Lords
Lesson 3 of 4
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House of Lords

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Selecting Members

There is no maximum number of members of the House of Lords. As of February 2024, there are 783 members from a range of parties. The Prime Minister decides members of the House of Lords. There are three types of peers:

  • Hereditary: someone who is a Lord because of the family they were born into (i.e., their father was a Lord, and they inherited the title when their father passed away, such as William Stonor, 8th Baron Camoys).
  • Life: someone who is a Lord because the Prime Minister chose them to be (such as Lord Cameron).
  • Lord Spiritual: bishop or significant figure in a religious organisation in the UK.

Reform

  • 1909: Chancellor David Lloyd George came up with the “people’s budget”, which was so damaging to the upper classes that the House of Lords voted overwhelmingly against it. However, this went against the Salisbury Convention that the Lords never challenged financial bills from the House of Commons. The Lords therefore had to approve legislation that they disagreed with.
  • 1911 Parliament Act: The Lord’s power to veto was replaced by the power to delay by up to two years.
  • 1949 Parliament Act: The Lord’s power to delay was reduced to up to one year.
  • 1958 Life Peerages Act: introduced life peers.
  • 1999 House of Lords Reform: removed the majority of hereditary peers.
  • 2014 House of Lords Reform Act: Lords could now be removed for having prison sentences, disqualified for non-attendance, and peers could resign or retire.
  • 2015 House of Lords (Expulsion & Suspension) Act: allows the House to expel or suspend members.
  • 2015 Lords Spiritual (Women) Act: women Church of England bishops could now become Lords Spiritual.
  • 2017 Burns Report: recommended reducing the number of Lords to 600, through a “two-out, one-in” approach to appointing members. However, as of 2024, this hasn’t been achieved.

Roles

The Lords can:

  • Debate legislation that has been sent from the House of Commons.
  • Initiate legislation
  • Delay legislation
  • Hold general debates

Lords have more experience and time than the Commons. The Lords have expertise and don’t represent anyone or belong to constituencies. The Lords are not elected, so they are said to lack legitimacy.