Reform of the House of Lords

By OakLeave

  • Parliament Act 1911

    Removed ability of HoL to veto money bills.
    With any other bills, the HoC given powers to overrule the Lords' veto after 2 changes of parliamentary session and 2 years

  • Removal of the Welsh Lords Spiritual

    Church of England disestablished in Wales with the Welsh Church Act 1914 (implementation delayed due to war). The bishops of the new Church in Wales ceased to be eligible to become Lords Spiritual in Parliament

  • Removal of the representative peers of Ireland

    When the Irish Free State became an independent dominion in 1922, the Peerage of Ireland stopped electing representatives. The last Irish representative peer died in 1961

  • Parliament Act 1949

    Amended 1911 Act reducing time Lords could delay a bill to one parliamentary session and one year

  • Life Peerages Act 1958

    Life peers, in the degree of Baron or Baroness, were created - not hereditary. For first time, women eligible to sit in the HoL. Since 1964, almost all peerages created this way. Meant to bring in expertise, but led to scandals including the 'cash for honours' scandal

  • Peerage Act 1963

    Allowed hereditary peers to disclaim their peerage, allowing them to vote and stand for elections to HoC.

  • House of Lords Act 1999

    Removed all but 92 hereditary peers. 90 of them can vote amongst themselves on who sits in the HoL - certain requirements (2 elected by Labour hereditary, 42 by Tory hereditary, 3 by LibDem hereditary, 28 by Crossbench hereditary, 15 by whole house)The other 2 are ex officio members due to their ceremonial functions in Parliament (Earl Marshal and Lord Great Chamberlain)

  • Constitutional Reform Act 2005

    Replaced Appellate Committee of the House of Lords with a Supreme Court

  • House of Lords Reform Act 2014

    Allowed members to resign from the House. Also allowed for the exclusion of any peer convicted of a criminal offence and sentenced to a term of imprisonment of one year or more

  • Lords Spiritual (Women) Act 2015

    Whenever a vacancy arises among the Lords Spiritual during the decade after the passing of the act, this vacancy is to be filled by any eligible female bishops

  • House of Lords (Expulsion and Suspension) Act 2015

    Authorised House to expel or suspend members