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UNITED KINGDOM
House of Lords

This page contains the full text of the PARLINE database entry on the selected parliamentary chamber, with the exception of Oversight and Specialized bodies modules which, because of their excessive length, can be only viewed and printed separately.

Modules:
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE PARLIAMENTARY CHAMBER

Parliament name UK Parliament
More photos  >>>
Structure of parliament Bicameral
Chamber name House of Lords
Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) House of Commons
Affiliation to the IPU Yes
Affiliation date(s) 1889 -
LEADERSHIP
President Lord Fowler (M) 
Notes Sworn in on 1 Sep. 2016.
Secretary General Edward Ollard (M) 
Notes 16 April 2017 -
COMPOSITION
Members (statutory / current number) 791 / 791
PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN


More statistics  >>>
Women (current number) 208 (26.30%)
Mode of designation appointed 676
other 115
Notes Appointed members: 676 life peers appointed by the Crown on the advice of the Prime Minister.
Other: 90 hereditary peers and 25 archbishops and bishops.
Term  Continuous
Last renewal dates not applicable
(View details)
CONTACT INFORMATION
Address House of Lords
LONDON - SW1A 0PW
(Export mailing lists)
Phone (44) 20 7219 3000
Fax
E-mail bgipu@parliament.uk (for all IPU matters / pour toute question relative à l'UIP)
hlinfo@parliament.uk (for questions about the House of Lords, its work and membership/
pour toute question relative à la Chambre des Lords, son travail et ses membres)
Website
http://www.parliament.uk

ELECTORAL SYSTEM

Parliament name UK Parliament
Structure of parliament Bicameral
Chamber name House of Lords
Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) House of Commons
LEGAL FRAMEWORK
Electoral law 1 January 1900
Mode of designation appointed 676
other 115
Constituencies (not applicable)
Voting system : Vacancies in bishops' places are filled by the next senior diocesan bishop and seats of Lords of Appeal are filled by appointment. Other life peers are created by appointment.
Voter requirements (not applicable)
CANDIDATES
Eligibility - age: 21 years
- British, Irish or Commonwealth citizenship
- hereditary peers, life peers, archbishops and bishops of the Church of England
- ineligibility: undischarged bankruptcy, Lords convicted of treason
Incompatibilities (not applicable)
Candidacy requirements (not applicable)

LAST ELECTIONS

Parliament name UK Parliament
Structure of parliament Bicameral
Chamber name House of Lords
Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) House of Commons
BACKGROUND
Dates of election / renewal (from/to) not applicable
Timing and scope of renewal (Not applicable)
(Not applicable)
STATISTICS
Voter turnout
Distribution of votes
Distribution of seats
Distribution of seats according to sex
Men

Women

Percent of women
595

205

22.63%
Distribution of seats according to age
Distribution of seats according to profession
Comments
Sources:
House of Lords (04.01.2012, 16.01.2012, 05.12.2012, 01.01.2014, 31.01.2014, 22.06.2016, 13.09.2018)
UK Statistics Authority (04.08.2015)
http://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/lords/composition-of-the-lords/
http://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/lords/lords-by-type-and-party/

PRESIDENCY OF THE PARLIAMENTARY CHAMBER

Parliament name UK Parliament
Structure of parliament Bicameral
Chamber name House of Lords
Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) House of Commons
APPOINTMENT AND TERM OF OFFICE
Title Lord Speaker
Term - duration: 5 years
- reasons for interruption of the term: resignation, appointment of a new Lord Speaker, death
Appointment - the Lord Speaker is elected by members of the House of Lords, subject to approval by the Head of State
Eligibility - All members of the House shall be entitled to stand for election
Voting system NA (not applicable)
Procedures / results NA (not applicable)
STATUS
Status - ranks sixth in the order of precedence
- is also a Cabinet Minister and Head of the Judiciary
- represents the House of Lords in international bodies
- in the absence of the Lord Chancellor, one of the Lords appointed to act as Deputy Speaker can assume his/her role and functions
Board
Material facilities - same salary as a Minister
- official residence
- official car
- personal secretary
- bodyguards
FUNCTIONS
Organization of parliamentary business NA (not applicable)
Chairing of public sittings NA (not applicable)
Special powers - appoints the Clerk Assistant and two other senior clerks
- maintains relations with foreign Parliaments
Speaking and voting rights, other functions - may take the floor in legislative debates by leaving his chair
- may take part in voting
- intervenes in the parliamentary oversight procedure during Question Time

PARLIAMENTARY MANDATE

Parliament name UK Parliament
Structure of parliament Bicameral
Chamber name House of Lords
Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) House of Commons
NATURE
Nature of the mandate · Free representation
Start of the mandate · When the Letters Patent creating the peerage are sealed by the Lord Chancellor, or, in the cases of hereditary peers, when those have established their claim to the title to the Lord Chancellor. Further procedure.
Validation of mandates · Validation by the Lord Chancellor only for hereditary peerages
· Procedure: the Lord Chancellor determines whether an applicant should receive a Writ of Summons. If he declines to issue a Writ, an applicant may petition the crown and the matter may be referred to the House of Lords Committee for Privileges.
End of the mandate · By death, except for bishops who retire from both their sees and the House when they reach the age of 70
Can MPs resign? No · No, except for hereditary peers
· Procedure: hereditary peers can disclaim their peerage for life, within (at most) one year of succeeding to the title, by delivering to the Lord Chancellor an instrument of disclaimer.
· Authority competent to accept the disclaimer: the disclaimer does not have to be accepted
Can MPs lose their mandate ? Yes Definitive exclusion from Parliament by the latter:
- Disqualification (aliens, persons under twenty-one, bankruptcy, treason)
STATUS OF MEMBERS
Rank in hierarchy · Within Parliament:
1. The Lord Chancellor, the Leader of the House (House's representative in Cabinet), and the Chairmen of committees
2. The other MPs (equal in rank)
· Outside Parliament: the official order of precedence ranks the Lord Chancellor in the 6th position. It does not accord a rank to the other MPs.
Indemnities, facilities and services · No diplomatic or official passport
· Basic salary: reimbursement of expenses
+ Additional allowance for office-holders: in accordance with office
+ Supplementary London Allowance (office-holders): £ 1,406/per annum
· Total exemption from tax
· No special pension scheme
· Other facilities:
(a) Secretarial assistance: £ 33.50/day (+ £ 10.05/day for non-sitting periods) ; £ 4,119/per annum for office-holders
(b) Telephone services: free intra-UK telephone services
(c) Travel and transport: When House sitting, claim travel to and from House and on Parliamentary business in UK and/or Motor mileage allowance
Obligation to declare personal assets Yes
Parliamentary immunity - parliamentary non-accountability · The concept does exist (called "parliamentary privilege"; Art. IX of the Bill of Rights of 1689).
· Parliamentary non-accountability is limited to words spoken or written by MPs and votes cast within Parliament.
· Derogations: slander, libel and defamation when immunity has been waived (Defamation Act 1996); offence or insult (SO 30 of the House of Lords Relating to Public Business; see Discipline)
· Non-accountability takes effect on the day when the mandate begins
Parliamentary immunity - parliamentary inviolability · The concept does exist (in form of the "parliamentary privilege"; Standing Order (SO) 79 of the House of Lords Relating to Public Business, or for peers also in form of the "privilege of peerage").
· It applies only to civil proceedings, covers all offences, but protects MPs only from arrest and imprisonment.
· Derogations: refusal to give security for the peace, criminal contempt of court, detention under the Mental Health Act 1983 ("parliamentary privilege")
· Parliamentary inviolability does prevent MPs from being called as witnesses before a judge or tribunal.
· Protection is provided from 40 days before the session starts until 40 days after the House has been prorogued or dissolved ("parliamentary privilege"). The privilege of peerage is forever. Since parliamentary inviolability does not cover judicial proceedings in general, it does not cover judicial proceedings instituted against MPs before they become Lords.
· Parliamentary immunity (inviolability) can be lifted (Defamation Act 1996):
- Competent authority: the Lord
- Procedure: Lords may waive their immunity in cases of slander, libel and defamation.
· Parliament cannot subject the prosecution and/or detention to certain conditions.
· Parliament cannot suspend the prosecution and/or detention of one of its members.
· In the event of preventive custody or imprisonment, the MPs concerned cannot be authorised to attend sittings of Parliament
EXERCISE OF THE MANDATE
Training · There is a training/initiation process on parliamentary practices and procedures for MPs.
· It is provided by Parliamentary authorities and political parties.
· Handbooks of parliamentary procedure:
- Companion to the Standing Orders and Guide to the Proceedings of the House of Lords (1994 + amendments)
Participation in the work of the Parliament · It is not compulsory for MPs to be present at plenary sittings or committee meetings (see SO 20 of the House of Lords Relating to Public Business)
Discipline · The rules governing discipline within Parliament are contained in SO 30 of the House of Lords Relating to Public Business and in customary law.
· Disciplinary measures foreseen :
- Prohibition of speech
- Reading out of the SO on Asperity of Speech (SO 30 of the House of Lords Relating to Public Business)
· Specific cases:
- Offence or insult (SO 30 of the House of Lords Relating to Public Business): censure of the offender, reparation and satisfaction for the party offended
- Contempt of Parliament in cases of disobedience to rules or orders of the House (see Chapters 8 and 9 of Erskine May, Parliamentary Practice, 21st ed., London, Butterworths, 1989): committal, reprimand or admonition, suspension, expulsion (penal jurisdiction)
· Competent body to judge such cases/to impose penalties: the House of Lords
· Procedure:
- Prohibition of speech
- Reading out of the SO on Asperity of Speech
- Offence or insult (SO 30 of the House of Lords Relating to Public Business)
- Contempt of Parliament in cases of disobedience to rules or orders of the House (see Chapters 8 and 9 of Erskine May, Parliamentary Practice, 21st ed.)
Code (rules) of conduct · This concept does exist in the country's juridical system (2 Resolutions of 07.11.1995).
· Penalties foreseen for violation of the code of conduct (contempt of Parliament in cases of misconduct of Members; see Chapters 8 and 9 of Erskine May, Parliamentary Practice, 21st ed.): penal juridiction:
- Committal
- Reprimand or admonition
- Suspension from the House
- Expulsion from the House
· Competent body to judge such cases/to impose penalties/procedure: the House of Lords (see also Procedure for declaration of interests.
Relations between MPs and pressure group · There are no legal provisions in this field, but see Code of conduct.

This page was last updated on 14 September 2018
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