House of lords Flashcards
To learn the house of lords
Pro/Con of the House of lords
Independence from squabbling/No accountability
What did the first lot of reforms address?
The hereditary peers
Who used to be speaker of the house?
The lord chancellor
In 1998 there were_______Hereditary peers
759
Now there are only _______ Hereditary peers
92
What act created the life peers?
Life peerages act 1958
What do the lords spiritual not do?
Vote or speak on purely political matters
List the disqualifications
Aliens Under 21 If you're bankrupt Treason Someone who discards a hereditary peerage
Do members receive salaries?
No but do get day to day expenses
What are the four types of question?
Starred
Unstarred
Written
Private notice
Does the house of lords use public bills committees?
No they do not
What does the absence of the closure motion mean?
Debates are allowed to continue, moreso than in the commons
Can the lords veto a bill?
No, under the 1911 parliament act
Why was the parliament act 1911 introduced?
The lords wouldn’t pass David Loyd georges budget, the commons said it was a constitutional crisis. They threatened to have the king pack the lords to dillute their power.
How many times have the parliament acts been used?
7 times
Salisbury convention?
The lords wont oppose a second or third reading of a commons bill and will instead refer it back to the commons
Jackson v AG 2005
The house of lords affirmed that law passed under the parliament acts in legitimate. (Hunting act 2004)
Select committees
They may summon a committee whenever they want
Eg. Select committee on the constitutions
House of lords act 1999
Ended voting right for hereditary peers and reduced them to 92
House of lords reform act 2014
Created methods for resignation or expulsion of lords
When was the hereditary peer question first debated in the lords
1888/6
What did the coalition government want to change?
To make the upper house elected with a 240/60 elected unelected split.
