Documents to download

This Library Note provides background information about the House of Lords Appointments Commission. It outlines the establishment of the Commission in 2000 and examines proposals for its reform, particularly those relating to placing the Commission on a statutory footing. The Note also details proposals made in the Government’s House of Lords Reform Draft Bill, published in May 2011, and examines written and oral submissions to the Joint Committee on the Draft House of Lords Reform Bill. Finally, the Note examines the recommendations made by the Joint Committee in its April 2012 report.


Documents to download

Related posts

  • House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill: Second reading in the House of Lords

    The government’s House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill would remove the right of hereditary peers to sit and vote in the House of Lords and abolish its jurisdiction in hereditary peerage claims. The bill completed its Commons stages unamended and was introduced in the House of Lords in November 2024. The bill’s second reading in the Lords took place on 11 December 2024. This briefing provides an overview of that debate and lists the areas which future amendments could focus on.

    House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill: Second reading in the House of Lords
  • House of Lords Appointments Commission: Role and powers

    The House of Lords Appointments Commission (HOLAC) vets nominations to the House and recommends non-party political members. While its advice is usually followed, it is not a statutory body and the prime minister can choose to disregard its advice. This briefing provides an overview of the role and powers of the commission and summarises recent debates concerning its reform.

    House of Lords Appointments Commission: Role and powers