Research briefing setting out the government’s commitments covering the constitution, including House of Lords reform, for the House of Lords debate on the 2024 King’s Speech.
King's Speech 2024: Constitution (418 KB , PDF)
Labour’s manifesto said reform of the House of Lords was “long overdue”. It set out plans for “immediate modernisation”, including the removal of hereditary peers’ right to sit and vote and the introduction of a mandatory retirement age. In the longer term, Labour pledged to replace the House of Lords with an alternative second chamber.
The Labour manifesto also emphasised the importance of standards, promising to ensure all peers “meet the high standards expected of them”, establish a new Integrity and Ethics Commission, review the business appointment rules and establish a Modernisation Committee in the House of Commons looking at standards, working practices and MPs’ second jobs.
Labour has all pledged to lower the voting age to 16 in all elections, to improve voter registration and to strengthen the rules around donations to political parties.
The Library’s briefings for the King’s Speech draw on the Labour Party’s manifesto and other material in the public domain. They have been written in advance of the 2024 King’s Speech to help members of the House of Lords prepare for the debate on the speech. They do not constitute official information about the government’s intentions or provide a complete list of bills to be announced.
King's Speech 2024: Constitution (418 KB , PDF)
Under the provisions of the House of Lords Act 1999, 92 ‘excepted’ hereditary peers can sit in the House of Lords. The House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill would remove this exemption and also abolish the jurisdiction of the House of Lords in hereditary peerage claims.
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.
Ministers are needed in the House of Lords to take legislation through the House and answer for the government during questions and debates. Some cabinet ministers are appointed from the Lords. For example, the leader of the House of Lords is always a member of the Lords. This briefing looks at the role of ministers in the House of Lords and how they are scrutinised.
