Hereditary peers in the House of Lords

Hereditary peers in the House of Lords: Government proposals

The government took office in July 2024 on a manifesto commitment to reform the House of Lords. On 5 September 2024, the House of Commons gave the House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill its first reading. It would end the connection between the hereditary peerage and House of Lords membership.

The House of Lords Act 1999 ended the sitting and voting rights for all but 92 hereditary peers. This followed a cross-party compromise agreed during the bill’s passage through Parliament. The House held by-elections to fill vacancies when a hereditary peer died or retired.

Hereditary peers currently make up about 11 percent of the House’s membership. The bill would remove membership from 89 hereditary peers who currently sit in the House. Their membership would end at the conclusion of the current parliamentary session. Over half sit as Conservatives and a third as Crossbenchers.

Progress of the House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill

Lords Library research briefing

Read the Library’s briefing on the bill. This briefing provides an overview of the provisions of the bill as well as background information. It will be updated as the bill progresses through its parliamentary stages in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords. 

Second reading in the Lords

Second reading is scheduled to take place on 11 December 2024.

First reading in the Lords

First reading in the Lords took place on 13 November 2024.

Committee and third reading in the Commons

Committee stage in the Commons and third reading in the Commons took place on 12 November 2024.

Second reading in the Commons

Second reading in the Commons took place on 15 October 2024.

First reading in the Commons

First reading in the Commons took place on 5 September 2024. The bill was published alongside explanatory notes.

Further parliamentary material on the bill

• Private notice question on ‘House of Lords: Composition’, HL Hansard, 5 September 2024, cols 1246–51
• Debate on the ‘King’s Speech 2024’, HL Hansard, 17 July 2024, col 9