This House of Lords Library briefing provides information in advance of the second reading committee stage of the Intellectual Property (Unjustified Threats) Bill [HL] in the House of Lords on Wednesday 15 June 2016. This is a Law Commission bill and will follow a special procedure in the House.
The House of Lords is due to debate the Queen’s Speech over four days between 19 and 25 May 2016. This briefing is one of four prepared by the House of Lords Library to cover the themes of each day of debate.
This House of Lords briefing provides an overview of the events of 10–11 May 1941, when the German Air Force launched an air raid on London, and dropped bombs on the Palace of Westminster, destroying the House of Commons Chamber and damaging the House of Lords Chamber, Westminster Hall and the Clock Tower. It also briefly describes the arrangements made after the attack for the rebuilding of a new House of Commons Chamber. The briefing has been prepared to mark the 75th anniversary of the bombing.
This House of Lords Library briefing provides a list of the mover and seconder following each Queen’s Speech for the past 20 years, along with each Member’s party affiliation at the time.
The Lord Speaker is elected by Members of the House of Lords every five years. This House of Lords Library briefing provides an overview of the process for electing a Lord Speaker. It includes information on standing for election, voting and the triggers for an election. The primary role of the Lord Speaker is to preside over proceedings in the Chamber, including committees of the whole House. Details about the office of the Lord Speaker itself, as well as background to how the office came into being, are available in Lords Library briefing Principal Office Holders in the House of Lords (19 March 2015).
This House of Lords Library briefing presents lists of public offices and positions previously or currently held by Members of the House of Lords as at 23 March 2016.
On 9 September 2015, Queen Elizabeth II became the longest reigning sovereign in British history. This House of Lords Library briefing focuses on the Sovereign as part of the constitution of Parliament. It captures key aspects of the role of the Sovereign as it relates, in practice, to Parliament today, with an emphasis on the House of Lords. It does this through addressing a selection of the ceremonial and formal roles of the Sovereign: the State Opening of Parliament and its prorogation and dissolution; the calling of a new Parliament, in light of the Fixed-term Parliament Act 2011; Royal Commissions and royal assent; and Queen’s consent. The briefing also addresses a number of aspects of the Sovereign’s communications and relationship with Parliament more broadly, through Addresses and messages and the Palace of Westminster itself. It provides facts and figures relating to Queen Elizabeth II including: the number of Acts that have received Royal Assent during her reign, Addresses given by the Queen to both Houses in Westminster Hall, and the wording of Queen Elizabeth II’s first message to Parliament on her accession to the throne in 1952.
This House of Lords Library briefing provides information relating to International Women’s Day, due to be marked on 8 March 2016, and the theme this year of gender parity.
Public bills may be committed to a select committee when it is considered that they require detailed investigation or when the hearing of evidence is considered necessary on the bill’s provisions. The most recent occasion on which a Government bill was referred to a select committee was the Constitutional Reform Bill in 2004.