Cecily Zamora
The House of Lords is the upper chamber of the UK Parliament and plays an important role in making and shaping laws. It is made up of around 800 members from a variety of professions and walks of life, including former politicians, experts in business, education, science, and other public policy areas. The House of Lords has three main functions: making laws, investigating public policy, and holding the government to account. While it cannot initiate or amend 'money bills', the House of Lords can delay a piece of legislation passed by the House of Commons for up to a year, and it frequently asks the House of Commons to reconsider by tabling amendments. This process of a bill going back and forth between the two houses is known as 'ping pong' and can occur multiple times before both houses agree on the final version of the bill.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of members | 800 |
| Types of members | Life peers, hereditary peers, Lords Spiritual |
| Powers | Can delay a piece of legislation passed by the House of Commons for up to one year but cannot block a bill altogether |
| Functions | Making laws, investigating public policy, holding the government to account |
| Stages of law-making | First reading, second reading, committee stage |
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What You'll Learn
The House of Lords can delay legislation passed by the House of Commons
The House of Lords is the second chamber of the UK Parliament, and it plays a crucial role in making laws alongside the House of Commons. While the House of Commons is the dominant partner, the House of Lords can influence the legislative process by suggesting amendments to bills.
The House of Lords has three main functions: making laws, investigating public policy, and holding the government to account. Its members spend a significant amount of time considering draft government bills before they become laws. The House of Lords is often referred to as a 'revising chamber' as it frequently asks the House of Commons to reconsider legislation by tabling amendments. While the House of Commons rarely rejects amendments proposed by the House of Lords, it retains the power to do so.
The powers of the House of Lords are limited by the Parliament Acts, which prevent the House of Lords from blocking bills passed by the House of Commons. The House of Lords can delay a bill for up to a year but cannot veto it. This power to delay is a significant reduction from its previous power to veto bills, which was removed with the passing of the Parliament Act 1911. Additionally, the House of Lords cannot amend or initiate 'money bills', which relate to national taxation, public money, or loans.
The Salisbury Convention further restricts the House of Lords' powers by stating that the House of Lords should not block government bills that implement policies proposed in an election manifesto. The House of Lords generally defers to the House of Commons' democratic mandate, and it is rare for peers to try to overrule legislation passed by the House of Commons.
The House of Lords is composed of around 800 members from diverse professions and backgrounds, including former politicians, business leaders, and experts in various fields. The wide range of expertise and independence of thought among its members equip the House of Lords to perform its 'revising' role effectively.
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The House of Lords can't veto or block bills
The House of Lords is the second chamber of the UK Parliament. It is tasked with making and shaping laws, investigating public policy, and checking and challenging the work of the government. The House of Lords cannot veto or block bills. While it can delay them, the House of Commons can ultimately pass a bill without the Lords' consent.
Historically, the House of Lords had the power to veto bills passed by the House of Commons. However, this power was removed with the passing of the Parliament Act 1911, which was a response to the House of Lords blocking a controversial finance bill. This Act limits the powers of the House of Lords and maintains the veto of the Lords when concerning Provisional Order Bills and bills aiming to increase the life of Parliament from five years.
The Salisbury Convention also dictates that the House of Lords does not try to block bills that were promised in the governing party's manifesto. In general, the unelected House of Lords defers to the House of Commons' democratic mandate but can propose amendments to bills, which must be agreed upon by the House of Commons.
The House of Lords plays an important role in revising and scrutinising bills before they become law. Members of the House of Lords bring a wide range of expertise and experience to this task, and their input can lead to significant policy changes. While the House of Lords cannot veto or block bills outright, its role in shaping legislation is an essential part of the UK's parliamentary system.
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The House of Lords can't amend or initiate 'money bills'
The House of Lords is the second chamber of the UK Parliament. It is independent from, and complements the work of, the elected House of Commons. The House of Lords has three main functions: making laws, investigating public policy, and holding the government to account.
While the House of Lords can make laws, its powers are limited. The House of Lords cannot amend or initiate money bills. A money bill is a bill that, in the view of the Speaker of the House of Commons, solely concerns national taxation or public funds. The House of Lords may neither originate a bill concerning taxation or supply (treasury or exchequer funds) nor amend a bill to insert a taxation or supply-related provision. The House of Commons, however, often waives its privileges and allows the Upper House to make amendments with financial implications.
The House of Lords can also not delay a money bill for more than one month. Other public bills cannot be delayed by the House of Lords for more than two parliamentary sessions or one calendar year. These provisions only apply to public bills that originate in the House of Commons and cannot have the effect of extending a parliamentary term beyond five years.
The House of Lords once held more power than the House of Commons. Up until the Parliament Act 1911, the House of Lords had the power to veto bills passed by the House of Commons. However, the 1911 Act saw this power reduced to the delaying power the House of Lords has today. This was one of the most radical reforms to the House of Lords in its history.
The House of Lords is equipped to perform this 'revising' role due to the wide range of expertise and experiences of its members and its independence of thought. A large proportion of its members have no political affiliation, and many are former politicians or experts in business, education, science, and other public policy areas.
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The House of Lords can't refuse Royal Assent
The House of Lords is the second chamber of the UK Parliament. It is independent from, and complements the work of, the elected House of Commons. The House of Lords has three main functions: making laws, investigating public policy, and holding the government to account.
The House of Lords shares the task of making and shaping laws and checking and challenging the work of the government. Members spend more than half their time in the House considering bills (draft laws). All bills have to be considered by both Houses of Parliament before they can become law. During several stages, members examine each bill, line-by-line, before it becomes an Act of Parliament (actual law).
Once both Houses have agreed on the text, the bill is approved by the monarch and becomes a law or 'Act of Parliament'. This is known as Royal Assent. The monarch would not veto a bill, except on ministerial advice. Royal Assent is now considered a formality and has not been refused for hundreds of years.
While there is some debate about whether the monarch should refuse Royal Assent in certain circumstances, the House of Lords itself cannot refuse Royal Assent.
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The House of Lords can persuade the House of Commons to make changes to a bill
The House of Lords is the upper chamber of the UK Parliament, and it plays a crucial role in making laws alongside the House of Commons. A bill, which is a draft of a new law or a change to an existing law, can be introduced in either House. It must go through several stages in both Houses, including a second reading, committee stage, and consideration of amendments, before receiving Royal Assent and becoming an Act of Parliament.
While the House of Lords cannot unilaterally make or change laws, it can persuade the House of Commons to make changes to a bill through the following ways:
Scrutiny and Amendments
The House of Lords scrutinises bills line-by-line and suggests amendments during the committee stage. This detailed examination draws on the diverse expertise and experiences of its members, many of whom are experts in fields like business, education, science, and public policy areas. The House of Lords can propose amendments to address concerns or gaps in the bill, and these amendments are then voted on by MPs in the House of Commons.
Persuasion and Influence
The House of Lords can table amendments and ask the House of Commons to "think again" about certain provisions in a bill. While it is uncommon for the government to be defeated on Lords amendments, the House of Commons may accept, reject, or make its own changes to the proposed amendments. This back-and-forth negotiation process, known as "ping pong," can occur multiple times until both Houses agree on the final version of the bill.
Holding the Government to Account
The House of Lords holds the government to account by questioning government ministers during debates and requiring them to respond. This function allows the House of Lords to influence government policy and ensure that bills align with the government's commitments and election promises.
Investigating Public Policy
The House of Lords, through its select committees, investigates public policy across various sectors, including justice, home affairs, and the NHS. These committees produce reports that can directly or indirectly influence the formulation of government policy and the creation or amendment of bills.
Challenging the House of Commons
Although rare, the House of Lords can challenge the House of Commons by delaying a piece of legislation for up to a year. This power, limited by the Parliament Acts and the Salisbury Convention, reflects the House of Lords' role as a revising chamber and its independence of thought.
In summary, while the House of Lords cannot directly make or change laws, it plays a crucial role in shaping legislation and can persuade the House of Commons to make changes to a bill through scrutiny and amendments, negotiation, and its unique position as an unelected chamber with a wide range of expertise.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, the House of Lords can make laws. It is the upper chamber of the UK parliament and has three main functions: making laws, investigating public policy, and holding the government to account.
The House of Lords can make laws by introducing a bill, which is a draft of a new law or a change to an existing law. Bills can be introduced by the government, individual MPs or Lords, or private individuals or organisations. They can be introduced in either the House of Commons or the House of Lords.
The House of Commons is the primary chamber for introducing bills, and it is more powerful than the House of Lords. The House of Lords can only delay, rather than veto, most bills. The House of Lords also cannot amend or initiate any 'money bills', which relate to national taxation, public money, or loans.
The House of Lords cannot block a bill altogether. However, it can delay a piece of legislation passed by the House of Commons for up to one year. Additionally, the House of Lords can ask the House of Commons to "'think again'" by tabling amendments to legislation, which are then voted on by MPs.
If the two houses disagree on a bill, it will go back and forth between them (a process known as "ping pong") until they agree. If they cannot reach an agreement, the bill will fail.
