Second chambers around the world: Size and membership
In light of the UK government’s recent proposals to reform the House of Lords, this briefing presents facts and figures comparing the House of Lords with other second chambers around the world.
Documents to download
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Lord Speaker: Election 2016 (118 KB , PDF)
The last Lord Speaker election took place on 13 July 2011. On 18 July 2011, the Clerk of the Parliaments announced that Baroness D’Souza had been elected. Lady D’Souza took her office as Lord Speaker on 1 September 2011. A Lord Speaker may serve for a maximum of two terms. On 11 February 2016, Lady D’Souza announced that she would not put her name forward as a candidate in the 2016 speakership election. She will step down from office on completing her first five year term, on 1 September 2016.
According to the Standing Orders, in the year that an election of the Lord Speaker is due to take place, the election must be held before 15 July. This is to allow enough time for the election to be conducted and the result to be announced before the House rises for the summer recess. Specific arrangements for the 2016 election process will be set out in a notice for Members issued by the Clerk of the Parliaments in due course.
To date, there have been two speakership elections. The first election was held on 28 June 2006 following a resolution of the House on 12 July 2005 that it should elect its own presiding officer. The 2006 election resulted in Baroness Hayman becoming the first Lord Speaker, as announced on 4 July 2006. On 9 May 2011, Baroness Hayman announced her intention not to seek re-election. The second election resulted in Baroness D’Souza being elected as Lord Speaker.
Documents to download
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Lord Speaker: Election 2016 (118 KB , PDF)
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Peerages awarded to former UK prime ministers
Former prime minister Theresa May joined the House of Lords in August 2024 after standing down as an MP ahead of the 2024 general election. This followed David Cameron being appointed in November 2023 to serve as foreign secretary. This page lists former UK prime ministers who have held office since 1902, together with information on whether the individuals later received a peerage entitling them to sit in the House of Lords.
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Private members’ bills with government support lost at dissolution 2024: How close was Parliament to changing the law on licensing hours, puppy smuggling, virtual court hearings and more?
Individual members of either House can propose legislation through private members’ bills (PMBs). But with limited time available, they rarely become law without government, and usually cross-party, support. This briefing looks at the 14 PMBs that the then government supported that fell at the end of the 2023–24 session. Government backing was identified by whether a government department had provided explanatory notes.
