Selected topics of interest.
Below you will find our recent briefings on a selection of topic areas on the House of Lords.
Research Briefings: In-depth analysis on topics related to the House.
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House of Lords: Largest Votes Recorded
What have been the largest ever votes in the House of Lords? This briefing provides a list of divisions since 1999 where 500 or more Members have voted.
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Hereditary By-elections: Results
Hereditary peer by-elections are held within the House of Lords to replace excepted hereditary peers who have retired or died. This Lords Library Briefing provides a list of hereditary peers’ by-election results since the passing of the House of Lords Act 1999, including information on turn out and the number of candidates.
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Lords Membership: How Many Women Have Sat in the Lords?
This House of Lords Library briefing provides lists of the female life Peers and the female hereditary Peers who have been Members of the House of Lords.
In Focus: quick-read articles on the House of Lords.
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May 2021 state opening of parliament: precedents for reduced ceremonials
The Government has stated that the state opening of parliament and Queen’s Speech scheduled for 11 May 2021 will take place with reduced ceremonial elements due to the coronavirus pandemic. This In Focus looks at how this can differ from a traditional state opening.
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Lord speaker election: April 2021
The lord speaker, along with their deputies, chairs the business of the House of Lords and has certain other procedural, ceremonial and ambassadorial functions. As a result of the resignation of the current Lord Speaker, Lord Fowler, an election for a new lord speaker will be held in April 2021.
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Challenging for equality in Parliament: How women won their place in the House of Lords
To mark International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month, we take a look at how women fought for and won their right to sit in the House of Lords.
