Research Briefing
This Note provides a short history of women in the House of Lords, looking at the events which led to the first female Peers being permitted to sit in the House. It provides a list of ‘firsts’ for women in the House of Lords, and a list of women who have held significant office in the House.
Research Briefing
This In Focus note briefly outlines the Salisbury-Addison Convention, and its interpretation and development.
Research Briefing
This Library Note provides background information about the membership and age profile of the House of Lords, together with information on the public positions held by Members, as the House was composed on 30 March 2015—the date on which the 2010–15 Parliament was dissolved.
Research Briefing
The first and last speeches made by a Member of the House of Lords are significant occasions and, by tradition, are marked with respect by the House.
Research Briefing
This Note provides a summary of the proposals for reform of the House of Lords that were made during the 2010–15 parliament.
Research Briefing
This Library Note provides a short overview of the role and functions of some of the key office holders in the House of Lords.
Research Briefing
This Note discusses the development of retirement provisions in the House of Lords, and considers additional proposals put forward by forums such as that have been raised by the Leader’s Group on Member’s Leaving the House and the House of Commons Political and Constitutional Reform Select Committee (for example, the possibility of introducing a compulsory retirement age). The Note also contains brief analysis and information on the eight Members that have taken voluntary retirement so far.
Research Briefing
The Lords Spiritual (Women) Bill would introduce time limited provisions to enable female diocesan bishops to be fast-tracked into the House of Lords as members of the Lords Spiritual. This Library Note provides a brief summary of the process by which English diocesan bishops are appointed to the House of Lords. It then discusses the provisions of the Lords Spiritual (Women) Bill and the Bill’s House of Commons Stages.
Research Briefing
As at 16 December 2014, the total membership of the House of Lords was 847. However, excluding those currently ineligible to sit (such as members on leave of absence or those holding particular posts), the ‘actual’ membership was 791. The average attendance of the House of Lords in the 2013–14 session was 497.
Research Briefing
Members of the House of Lords are not required to provide information about their ethnicity, religious beliefs or any disabilities they may have. However, there is continued interest in the representativeness of the House, as currently composed. This Library Note provides background information on this subject: it summarises existing research on the representation in the House of Lords of minority ethnic groups, religions and disability, and sets out some of the challenges in collecting and interpreting this information.
Research Briefing
The House of Lords Act 1999 ended the centuries-old linkage between the hereditary peerage and membership of the House of Lords. The majority of hereditary Peers left the House of Lords in November 1999, but under a compromise arrangement, 92 of their number, known as ‘excepted’ hereditary Peers still sit in the House today.
Research Briefing
The House of Lords Reform (No 2) Bill is a private members’ bill, which was introduced into the House of Commons on 19 June 2013. The Bill makes provision for retirement from the House of Lords, and for the expulsion of Members of the House of Lords in specified circumstances.
Research Briefing
This Library Note provides statistics relating to the regions of the UK with which current Members of the House of Lords have connections.
Research Briefing
This Library Note provides background reading for the debate to be held on Thursday, 12 December 2013 to take note of the case for reducing the size of the House of Lords.
Research Briefing
This Library Note provides background information about the age, membership and public positions held by Members of the House of Lords.
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