Constitution Archives

In Focus

Parliament Act 1949: Reducing the power to delay

Monday, 16 December, 2019

How can the House of Commons pass laws the Lords disagrees with? The answer lies in two key pieces of legislation. The Parliament Act 1911 provided that any public bill rejected by the House of Lords could still be passed as long as three sessions over a two-year period had elapsed from its original second reading to its final third reading in the House of Commons. The Parliament Act 1949, passed 70 years ago, reduced that time period to one year and two sessions.
Research Briefing

Salisbury Convention: A Decade of Developments

Friday, 13 December, 2019

According to the Salisbury Convention, the House of Lords gives a second reading to government bills that seek to implement manifesto commitments, does not subject manifesto bills to wrecking amendments and returns manifesto bills to the Commons in reasonable time. This House of Lords Library Briefing examines the development of the convention and looks at the debates on how it applied after the 2010 and 2017 general elections, which both produced a hung parliament.
Research Briefing

Lifting the Barrier: Gender Equality Legislation 1919

Friday, 13 December, 2019

This House of Lords Library briefing has been prepared to mark the centenary of the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act 1919. It provides a summary of the provisions of the Act and an overview of some of the debates had at the time about introducing and implementing gender equality legislation.
Research Briefing

Parliamentary sessions: Years without a Queen’s/King’s Speech

Friday, 13 December, 2019

The House of Lords Library provides statistics on sessions since 1900 that have lasted for more than 12 months and lists the years in which there has been no Queen’s/King’s Speech.
- Research Briefing
- Parliament
Research Briefing

Party Policies on Europe at General Elections Since 1970

Friday, 13 December, 2019

This House of Lords Library Briefing provides extracts from political party manifestos since 1970 charting the various positions taken on Europe over the last five decades.
Research Briefing

Prerogative Powers of the Crown

Friday, 13 December, 2019

This House of Lords Library Briefing provides an overview of prerogative powers in the UK. It includes a discussion of powers reserved to the monarch, and examples of how they have been used.
Research Briefing

Lord Sinha of Raipur and the Government of India Act 1919

Friday, 13 December, 2019

This House of Lords Library Briefing has been prepared to mark the 100th anniversary of the Government of India Act 1919 receiving royal assent and the role of the peer of non-European descent, Lord Sinha, in piloting the Act through the Lords.
Research Briefing

House of Lords Act 1999: Twenty Years On

Tuesday, 05 November, 2019

This House of Lords Library Briefing provides background information on the passing of the House of Lords Act 1999.
Research Briefing

Northern Ireland Budget Bill: Briefing for Lords Stages

Wednesday, 30 October, 2019

This House of Lords Library Briefing provides information on the Northern Ireland Budget Bill in advance of its second reading and remaining stages, due to take place in the House of Lords on 31 October 2019. It also identifies relevant reports and useful documents, including parliamentary materials and press articles, which may be of assistance to Members in preparing for that debate.
Research Briefing

Early Parliamentary General Election Bill: Briefing for Lords Stages

Wednesday, 30 October, 2019

This House of Lords Library Briefing has been prepared ahead of the second reading in the House of Lords of the Early Parliamentary General Election Bill scheduled to take place on 30 October 2019. The remaining stages of the bill are also due to take place on 30 October if the House agrees to a government motion to dispense with the standing order that would normally prevent more than one bill stage taking place on the same day.
Research Briefing

Reports Pursuant to Section 3(5) of the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) Act 2019: 23 October 2019 Report

Thursday, 24 October, 2019

This House of Lords Library Briefing provides an overview of the requirements in the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) Act 2019 for the Government to publish reports on the progress made towards forming a Northern Ireland Executive, and other matters.
- Research Briefing
- Devolution
Research Briefing

GCHQ: 100th Anniversary

Wednesday, 23 October, 2019

The House of Lords Library briefing has been produced to mark GCHQ’s 100th anniversary.
Research Briefing

UK’s Withdrawal from the European Union

Saturday, 19 October, 2019

This House of Lords Library Briefing has been prepared ahead of the Saturday 19 October 2019 sitting in the House of Lords to debate the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union.
Research Briefing

Neighbourhood Services: Government Funding

Friday, 18 October, 2019

This House of Lords Library Briefing has been prepared in advance of the debate due to take place on 24 October 2019 in the House of Lords on the motion moved by Lord Greaves (Liberal Democrat), “that this House takes note of the levels of government support for neighbourhood services provided by district councils and other local authorities”.
Research Briefing

Section 3(5) of the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) Act 2019: 9 October 2019 Report

Monday, 14 October, 2019

This House of Lords Library Briefing provides an overview of the requirements in the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) Act 2019 for the Government to publish reports on the progress made towards forming a Northern Ireland Executive, and other matters. On 17 October 2019, the House of Lords is due to debate a motion on reports laid under the Act.
- Research Briefing
- Devolution

Total results (page 26 of 42)