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House of Lords

House of Lords of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
56th UK Parliament
Crowned portcullis in Pantone 7427 C
Type
Type
Leadership
Norman, Lord Fowler,
Non-affiliated
Since 1 September 2016
Leader of the Opposition
Leader of the Lib Dems
Richard, Baron Newby,
Liberal Democrat
Since 13 September 2016
Structure
Seats
  • 806
  • (excl. 34 peers on leave of absence or otherwise disqualified from sitting)
House of Lords 2015 elections.svg
Political groups

HM Government

HM Most Loyal Opposition

Crossbench

Other groups

Lords Spiritual

  •      Bishops (26)
    (sits with government)
Salary No annual salary, but tax-free daily allowance and expenses paid.
Meeting place
Wood panelled room with high ceiling containing comfortable red padded benches and large gold throne.
Website
www.parliament.uk/lords

HM Government

HM Most Loyal Opposition

Crossbench

Other groups

Lords Spiritual

The House of Lords of the United Kingdom, referred to ceremonially as the House of Peers, is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster. Officially, the full name of the house is: The Right Honourable the Lords Spiritual and Temporal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Parliament assembled.

Unlike the elected House of Commons, all members of the House of Lords (excluding 90 hereditary peers elected among themselves and two peers who are ex officio members) are appointed. The membership of the House of Lords is drawn from the peerage and is made up of Lords Spiritual and Lords Temporal. The Lords Spiritual are 26 bishops in the established Church of England. Of the Lords Temporal, the majority are life peers who are appointed by the monarch on the advice of the Prime Minister, or on the advice of the House of Lords Appointments Commission. However, they also include some hereditary peers including four dukes. Membership was once an entitlement of all hereditary peers, other than those in the peerage of Ireland, but under the House of Lords Act 1999, the right to membership was restricted to 92 hereditary peers. Very few of these are female since most hereditary peerages can only be inherited by men.


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Wikipedia

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