Study the diagram of the Lords. How is it different from the Commons? What would you reform about the Lords?

746 peers

92 hereditary

26 bishops

12 law lords

Membership of HoLMembership of HoL

Lords Temporal (Peers that have been created Lords Temporal (Peers that have been created by the monarch on the advice of the PM)by the monarch on the advice of the PM)

Lords Spiritual (26 most senior bishops)Lords Spiritual (26 most senior bishops) Hereditary peers (Peers who inherited their Hereditary peers (Peers who inherited their

title)title) Life peers (Appointed as members for life, i.e. Life peers (Appointed as members for life, i.e.

non-hereditary)non-hereditary) Non-party or ‘people’s peers’ (Recommended on Non-party or ‘people’s peers’ (Recommended on

the advice of the public by the Appointments the advice of the public by the Appointments Commission)Commission)

Crossbenchers (Independent peers)Crossbenchers (Independent peers)

Do we still need Do we still need an Upper an Upper Chamber?Chamber?

To identify its key functions To identify its key functions and compare them with the and compare them with the

HoCHoC

TBAT identify & explain key TBAT identify & explain key reforms in the powers and reforms in the powers and

functions of HoLofunctions of HoLo

LOs

Read through Watts, p.185-6 and in your Read through Watts, p.185-6 and in your notes record the similarities & differences notes record the similarities & differences between the two chambers.between the two chambers.

Do you think the Lords does any of these Do you think the Lords does any of these jobs better than the Commons?jobs better than the Commons?

Starter

Differences from the Differences from the HoCHoC

Similarities with HoCSimilarities with HoC

ComparisonsComparisons

Differences from the Differences from the HoCHoC

Similarities with HoCSimilarities with HoC

UnelectedUnelected

Lords (not MPs) – Life, Lords (not MPs) – Life, Hereditary & People’sHereditary & People’s

Second Chamber & has a Second Chamber & has a secondary rolesecondary role

Not paidNot paid

Judicial role – includes Judicial role – includes Law LordsLaw Lords

Includes clerics – Includes clerics – bishops & archbishopsbishops & archbishops

ScrutinisesScrutinises

DebatesDebates

Select committees Select committees (though not (though not departmental)departmental)

WhipsWhips

Speaker (though called Speaker (though called Lord Chancellor in HoL)Lord Chancellor in HoL)

Acts as a check on govt.Acts as a check on govt.

Your taskYour task

Read Watts, p.185-6 and create a Read Watts, p.185-6 and create a timeline of reform of the HoL. Look timeline of reform of the HoL. Look for these dates in particular:for these dates in particular:

1911 & 19491911 & 1949 19581958 19981998 Extension. Add these dates, too: Extension. Add these dates, too:

1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2006, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2006, 20092009

The history of reformThe history of reform

19111911 Parliament Act: Parliament Act: Lords lose power Lords lose power to veto bills or delay bills more than two to veto bills or delay bills more than two yearsyears

19451945 Salisbury Doctrine estd. ensures Salisbury Doctrine estd. ensures Labour govt’s manifesto commitments to Labour govt’s manifesto commitments to nationalisation & welfare state are not nationalisation & welfare state are not overturned in Lordsoverturned in Lords

19491949 Parliament Act Lords block Labour Parliament Act Lords block Labour steel nationalisation plans. Delaying steel nationalisation plans. Delaying power cut to one year. power cut to one year.

19581958 First life peers created by Harold First life peers created by Harold Macmillan. Women peers arrive.Macmillan. Women peers arrive.

19981998 House of Lords act, first stage of House of Lords act, first stage of reform, only 92 hereditary peers leftreform, only 92 hereditary peers left

20002000 Wakeham Report published with Wakeham Report published with recommendations for second stage of recommendations for second stage of reform, including largely appointed reform, including largely appointed chamberchamber

Nov 2001Nov 2001 New Labour unveils final New Labour unveils final stage House of Lords reform. Stiff stage House of Lords reform. Stiff opposition from MPs from all parties to opposition from MPs from all parties to call for only 20% of peers to be elected call for only 20% of peers to be elected by publicby public

March 2003March 2003 Queen’s speech introduced Queen’s speech introduced bill to end hereditary peers entirelybill to end hereditary peers entirely

March 2004March 2004 Reform of House of Lords Reform of House of Lords ‘kicked into the long grass’‘kicked into the long grass’

20062006, Speaker of , Speaker of House of LordsHouse of Lords

20092009 - Supreme - Supreme Court -Court -

Baroness

Hayman

Extension task. Visit the Supreme Court website and produce a factoid on its history and current cases being heard there.Supreme Court

Your taskYour task

Study Roberts, p.287-8 and Watts p.186-7 Study Roberts, p.287-8 and Watts p.186-7 and create a spider diagram summarising and create a spider diagram summarising the key functions of the HoL:the key functions of the HoL:

Consideration and revision of BillsConsideration and revision of Bills Initiation of legislationInitiation of legislation Power of delayPower of delay DeliberationDeliberation Other roles, e.g. scrutiny, ministerial Other roles, e.g. scrutiny, ministerial

posts etc.posts etc.

This house believes that the Lords are in need of further reform.

HomeworkHomework Write up the notes from today’s lessons. Use Write up the notes from today’s lessons. Use

p.187-9 and produce a scales chart, recording p.187-9 and produce a scales chart, recording evidence the Lords does need reform and evidence the Lords does need reform and evidence it doesn’t. Underneath reach a evidence it doesn’t. Underneath reach a judgement.judgement.

Conduct some online research into the current Conduct some online research into the current position of the coalition government on reform of position of the coalition government on reform of the Lordsthe Lords

PlenaryPlenary

Lords Temporal & Spiritual / Lords Temporal & Spiritual / People’s PeersPeople’s Peers

Key functions of the LordsKey functions of the Lords Key reforms, e.g. 1911 & 1949Key reforms, e.g. 1911 & 1949 Case for keeping LordsCase for keeping Lords Case for further reformCase for further reform Extension. Why have people Extension. Why have people

resisted reform of the HoL?resisted reform of the HoL?