House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) (Abolition of By-Elections) Bill [HL]: Briefing for Lords Stages

This House of Lords Library briefing provides briefing material on the House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) (Abolition of By-Elections) Bill ahead of its second reading in the House of Lords.

The House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) (Abolition of By-Elections) Bill is a private member’s bill introduced by Lord Grocott (Labour). The Bill seeks to amend the House of Lords Act 1999 to remove the system of by-elections currently used to fill vacancies caused by the death, resignation or expulsion of individuals who are Members of the House of Lords by virtue of a hereditary peerage. The Bill has one substantive clause, which would prevent any future vacancy among the 92 hereditary Members of the House from being filled via the current system of by-elections. Instead, such vacancies would lapse, and the departing hereditary Member would not be replaced.