New Bill will complete process started a quarter of a century ago
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Bill delivers on manifesto commitment to immediately reform
the House of Lords by removing hereditary peers' right to sit
and vote in the chamber
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The UK is one of the few remaining countries in the world
with a hereditary element to its Parliament
Today (Thursday 5 September) the Government embarks on the
biggest reform of the UK's Parliament in a quarter of a century,
with the removal of the remaining hereditary peers from the House
of Lords.
This landmark legislation will remove the 92 seats reserved for
hereditary peers from the upper chamber, ending appointments to
the House of Lords based on the families select individuals are
born into.
The House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill is being introduced
into the House of Commons in the first 100 days of this
Government. It will deliver upon a manifesto commitment to update
our constitution and restore public service at the heart of
Westminster.
The UK remains one of just two countries in the world with a
hereditary element in its legislature. The first steps to ending
this were taken in 1999 when most hereditary peers lost their
right to sit in the House of Lords. This new Bill will complete
that process and will be the first step in wider House of Lords
reform.
, Minister for the
Constitution and European Union Relations said, “This is a
landmark reform to our constitution. The hereditary
principle in law making has lasted for too long and is out of
step with modern Britain. The second chamber plays a vital
role in our constitution and people should not be voting on our
laws in Parliament by an accident of birth.”
“This Bill shows this government's commitment to delivering on
our manifesto and is an important part of putting politics in the
service of working people.”
of Basildon, Leader of the House of
Lords said, “While recognising the valuable contributions
many hereditary peers have made to Parliament, it is right that
this reform is being brought forward now – completing work we
began 25 years ago.
“Removing the hereditary principle from the Lords will deliver on
a specific manifesto commitment. It will also help deliver on our
commitment to reduce the size of the second chamber, as we bring
forward further reforms.”
Following its First Reading in the House of Commons today, the
Bill is expected to progress to a Second Reading later this
autumn.
Notes for Editors:
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The Government is committed to reforming the House of Lords
and ultimately replacing it with an alternative second
chamber that is more representative of the UK.
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Alongside the House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill, the
Government has introduced the Lords Spiritual (Women) Act
2015 (Extension) Bill, which has been requested by the Church
of England to extend existing rules aimed at increasing the
number of women bishops in the House of Lords.
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As with other hereditary peers, the Bill will remove the
right of the Earl Marshal and Lord Great Chamberlain to sit
and vote in the House of Lords. This will not prevent them
from carrying out their ceremonial functions.
