Life Peerages Act 1958: 65th anniversary
This House of Lords Library Briefing has been produced to mark the 65th anniversary of the passing of the Life Peerages Act on 30 April 1958.
Hereditary by-elections: Results
Hereditary peer by-elections are held within the House of Lords to replace excepted hereditary peers who have retired or died. This Lords Library briefing provides a list of hereditary peers’ by-election results since the passing of the House of Lords Act 1999, including information on turn out and the number of candidates.
The evolution of the Salisbury convention
In recent years there have been three occasions in which leadership of the government has changed without a general election having been called. This has given rise to questions about the relationship between a government’s legislative agenda and its most recent election manifesto. This article looks at how the Salisbury convention has shaped the House of Lords’ treatment of government manifesto bills.
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Research Briefing
House of Lords: Maiden and valedictory speeches, 2019-2022
This House of Lords Library briefing covers the maiden and valedictory speeches made during the course of the first two sessions of the current parliament. The first and last speeches made by a Member of the House of Lords are significant occasions and, by tradition, are marked with respect by the House.
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In Focus
House of Lords data dashboard: Peerage creations
This page provides interactive data on the creation of peerages in the House of Lords.
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In Focus
Parliament and the demise of the crown
Parliament has an important role upon a demise of the crown. This article looks at the legislation governing what happens in Parliament after a monarch dies and what has happened in Parliament following the deaths of previous monarchs.
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In Focus
Ministers in the House of Lords
Liz Truss was appointed as prime minister by Queen Elizabeth II on 6 September 2022 and with a new prime minister often come new ministerial appointments, including in the House of Lords. As part of these new appointments, Lord True replaced Baroness Evans of Bowes Park as leader of the House of Lords. This article looks at the role of the leader of the House and more broadly at ministers in the House of Lords.
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In Focus
House of Lords data dashboard: Current membership of the House
This page provides interactive data on the current membership of the House of Lords.
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In Focus
Women, hereditary peerages and gender inequality in the line of succession
Fewer than 90 peerages can be inherited by a female heir thereby limiting the number of women eligible to stand and be elected to the House of Lords as hereditary peers. This article examines proposals put forward by campaign groups, and some parliamentarians, to change the rules that prevent women inheriting peerages.
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In Focus
House of Lords membership update: September 2022
The House of Lords has no fixed number of seats, and its make up can change week by week. This article provides a snapshot of its membership and composition in September 2022.
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In Focus
Peerages created following prime ministerial resignations
UK prime ministers may draw up a resignation honours list on their departure from office, in which they may request that the reigning monarch grant honours to any number of people. Such honours may include peerages, knighthoods and damehoods, or other awards. However, not all have chosen to draw up such a list. This article lists those prime ministers who have requested that peerages be conferred on their departure from office.
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Research Briefing
Leader of the House of Lords: Holders of the Post
This Lords Library briefing provides background information about the office of Leader of the House of Lords and lists those who have held this position since 1963.
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Research Briefing
House of Lords (Peerage Nominations) Bill [HL]: HL Bill 19 of 2022–23
The House of Lords (Peerage Nominations) Bill [HL] is a private member’s bill sponsored by Lord Norton of Louth (Conservative). The bill seeks to strengthen the House of Lords Appointments Commission (HOLAC). The House of Lords is due to debate the bill at second reading on 18 November 2022.
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In Focus
Voting in the House of Lords: A short history
Voting practices in the House of Lords remained largely unchanged for over 150 years, until the Covid-19 pandemic prompted a dramatic switch to remote voting. The House has now returned to seeing members vote in division lobbies located either side of the chamber, but now pass readers rather than officials record voting members’ names and some members may continue to vote remotely. What is the background to these changes?
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Research Briefing
Queen’s Speech: Lords Movers and Seconders, 1979–2022
This House of Lords Library briefing provides a list of the mover and seconder following each Queen’s Speech since 1979, along with each Member’s party affiliation at the time.
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