The House of Lords Reform (No 2) Bill is a private members’ bill, which was introduced into the House of Commons on 19 June 2013. The Bill makes provision for retirement from the House of Lords, and for the expulsion of Members of the House of Lords in specified circumstances.
House of Lords Reform (No 2) Bill (HL Bill 92 of 2013–14) (309KB PDF)
This Note provides background reading on the Bill, which is due to have its second reading in the House of Lords on 28 March 2014. It outlines the key provisions of the Bill, and provides a brief overview of the recent debates and proposals on reforming the House of Lords. It then provides a short summary of the proceedings at second reading and committee stage in the House of Commons, and examines the debate at report stage in further detail, focussing on a selection of the amendments which were debated. Finally, it provides a brief summary of the debate at third reading.
House of Lords Reform (No 2) Bill (HL Bill 92 of 2013–14) (309KB 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.
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The bill is a government bill that would make a range of changes to the legal framework concerning elections, including extending the franchise for UK parliamentary elections and other reserved elections to 16- and 17-year-olds. The bill was amended during both its committee and report stages in the House of Commons, with many of the government’s later amendments implementing recommendations from the Rycroft review on countering foreign financial influence and interference in UK politics.
Social media and other technologies have made it easier, quicker and cheaper for foreign powers to spread false information online aimed at undermining UK democracy. Such disinformation campaigns are one type of interference operation. In parallel, researchers have noted a link between declining public trust and societal polarisation, which can be exacerbated by online discourse. This briefing provides introductory reading to these issues, including recent reports and government announcements.
