This proposed law would introduce a new “think again” procedure in the House of Lords so members could ask the House of Commons to consider their concerns before a draft affirmative statutory instrument is approved.
Statutory Instruments (Amendment) Bill [HL] (321 KB , PDF)
The bill would introduce a “think again” procedure for draft affirmative statutory instruments (SIs). This would allow the House of Lords to ask the House of Commons to consider their concerns before an SI is approved or rejected. The bill would also place existing guidance on correcting minor errors in SIs onto the statute book.
Draft affirmative SIs need approval from both Houses of Parliament before they can become law. Both Houses can either approve or reject them, but cannot amend them except in rare cases. The bill aims to provide a mechanism for the Lords to raise concerns about an SI without outright rejecting it.
The bill has received mixed reactions. The House of Lords Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee has welcomed the bill as an opportunity to discuss the process of parliamentary SI scrutiny. The Hansard Society has said it supports the bill in principle but believes the mechanism should not be placed in legislation.
Statutory Instruments (Amendment) Bill [HL] (321 KB , PDF)
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.
This page provides interactive data on the creation of life peerages in the House of Lords.
In 2024 the restoration and renewal programme announced it would be developing three options to preserve the Palace of Westminster. Details should be presented to Parliament in 2025. Members will then decide whether the programme should temporarily relocate both Houses of Parliament, keep the Commons Chamber onsite while temporarily relocating the Lords, or conduct a rolling programme of works “to deliver enhanced maintenance and improvement”. Surveying, design and remediation work was also progressed in 2024.
