The structure of the house of lords

Question 1

How many members does the lords currently comprise?

Answer 1

800

Question 2

How many members are hereditory peers?

Answer 2

92

Question 3

What did the House of Lords Act 1999 do?

Answer 3

• Stipulated that when a hereditory peer dies, their successor must be elected by all the remaining hereditary peers based on party affiliation

Question 4

Explain the role of a hereditory peer

Answer 4

Despite not being professional politicians, they are expected to take their position seriously, attend and vote regularly and partake in committee work

Question 5

What is the ‘Lords spiritual’?

Answer 5

The 26 members who are also bishops and archbishops of the CoE

Question 6

What has happened in the Lords to reflect the diversity of religious beliefs present in the UK

Answer 6

Many other prominent religious leaders have been appointed as life peers. But this does mean that this is still not a permanent role

Question 7

Who is technically responsible for appointing life peers?

Answer 7

The reigning monarch, but this is one of the prerogatives that has been passed down to the PM

Question 8

Who are life peers nominated by?

Answer 8

The PM and leaders of the main opposition parties

Question 9

What is the significance of life peers being political appointments?

Answer 9

This means they are expected to toe the party line on most issues

Question 10

Are all members of the lords party affiliated?

Answer 10

Non political peers are appointed in the basis of non-government recommendation

Question 11

What does the House of Lords Appointments Comission do?

Answer 11

They decide which people are appointed and so is able to veto recommendations made by party leaders

Question 12

Describe the role of a life peer

Answer 12

A prominent member of society who is granted a peerage. This entitles them to attend the house of lords, take part in debates and scrutinise and vote on legislation. The title is for life unless they are convicted of a serious misconduct

Question 13

What are the 4 different titles a lord could hold?

Answer 13

• Lord
• Lady
• Baron
• Baroness

Question 14

Explain the balance of parties in the lords

Answer 14

• There is no firm constitutional principle in place controlling the balance of parties
• There is a convention that parties make nominations in proportion to their strength in the commons
• However, as MPs are appointed for life, it can take many years for the power dynamic to change

Question 15

Describe the political makeup of the lords

Answer 15

• It is not always the case that the governing party has the most members
• There are too many crossbenchers for a majority to be formed, which lends itself to compromise

Question 16

Explain the role of frontbench spokespeople in the lords

Answer 16

• The government must have representatives in the lords as virtually all its business goes through both houses
• They are expected to be loyal to party leadership

Question 17

What is their equivalent of a house of commons speaker?

Answer 17

A lords speaker, a position held by Lord Fowler since 2016

Question 18

Explain the role of committees in the lords

Answer 18

There are still legislative and select committees, but select committees are much less important in the commons

Question 19

What is a crossbencher?

Answer 19

Members of the lords who are not officially part of any political party and so are independently minded

Question 20

Describe the appointment process of becoming a life peer

Answer 20

• Be nominated by the current party leader, the house of lords appointment commission or the public
• Nominees are vetted by the independent house of lords appointments commission, with the names being then passed on to the PM
• The PM considers the list and passes it on to the monarch, who issues an official letters patent
• The newly created life peers present their letters patent and is sworn in as a life peer in a short ceremony