This Library Note looks at the role of Ministers in the House of Lords in the context of current proposals for reform of the House.
House of Lords: Ministers (472KB PDF)
This Note examines the role of Ministers in the House of Lords, including recent periods when departmental Secretaries sat in the upper House, and associated issues of accountability. It then considers the prospective future role of Ministers in the House in the context of the Draft Bill on the Reform of the House of Lords, including potential issues raised by the proposed ongoing presence of Ministers in a principally elected House and their method of appointment. Finally, the Note summarises the recent recommendations on the issue of Ministers in a reformed second chamber by the Joint Committee on the Draft House of Lords Reform Bill.
House of Lords: Ministers (472KB PDF)
The House of Lords (Alternative Second Chamber Bill) [HL] is a private member’s bill introduced by Baroness Smith of Llanfaes (Plaid Cymru). It would require the secretary of state to carry out a consultation regarding proposals for replacing the House of Lords with an alternative second chamber. The bill specifies whom the secretary of state would be required to consult with and the timeframe of that consultation.
![House of Lords (Alternative Second Chamber) Bill [HL]: HL Bill 11 of 2026–27](https://lordslibrary-parliament.studio24.dev/content/uploads/sites/2/2020/09/House-of-Lords-568x426.png)
The Sovereign Grant Bill is a government bill which would amend how the sovereign grant is set. This is a grant paid to the King to support the work of the sovereign. The bill would enable the size of the sovereign grant to be reduced following the completion of a 10-year works project on Buckingham Palace. The bill received cross-party support and was not amended in the House of Commons.
The Public Office (Accountability) Bill is a government bill introduced in the House of Commons in the 2024–26 session. It was carried over to the current session and completed its Commons stages on 14 July 2026. It is scheduled to have its second reading in the House of Lords on 1 September 2026.