This In Focus note briefly outlines the Salisbury-Addison Convention, and its interpretation and development.
The Salisbury-Addison Convention (98 KB , PDF)
The Salisbury-Addison Convention is one of the conventions which regulates the relationship between the House of Lords and the Executive. Briefly, it states that the Lords should not seek to prevent the Government from implementing manifesto pledges in legislation. The operation and understanding of the convention has changed and evolved over time. In May 2006, the Joint Committee on Conventions of the UK Parliament was established, and as part of this inquiry the Joint Committee examined the Salisbury-Addison Convention and presented its own understanding of its operation.
The Salisbury-Addison Convention (98 KB , PDF)
The motion “that this bill do now pass” is moved immediately after a bill’s final stage in the House of Lords (known as third reading). It is amendable and so provides an opportunity for the House to oppose, delay or record a view on a measure if there is enough support. This briefing provides examples of amendments to the motion and what the outcome was each time.
This page provides interactive data on the creation of life peerages in the House of Lords.
In January 2025 the House of Lords Constitution Committee published a report on the responsibility of the government (the executive) to oversee the constitution. It concluded that the UK’s constitutional arrangements would benefit from several improved safeguards, such as the appointment of a senior minister to advise on constitutional matters and for advisory bodies to be put on a statutory footing.
