The Functions of Parliament

The main functions of Parliament are:

• to pass laws;

• to provide (by voting for taxation) the means of carrying on the work of government;

• to scrutinize government policy and administration, including proposals for expenditure; and

• to debate the major issues of the day.

In carrying these out, Parliament helps to bring the relevant facts and issues to the attention of the electorate. By custom, Parliament is also informed before important international treaties and agreements are ratified. The making of treaties is, however, a royal prerogative carried out on the advice of the Government and does not need parliamentary approval.

The House of Lords Reform

The Government has begun a step-by-step reform of the House of Lords aimed at making the second chamber more representative of British society at the start of the 21st century. As part of this process, in November 1999 the Government passed legislation to reduce the number of hereditary peers who had the right to sit and vote in the second chamber from over 750 to 92.

In May 2000 the Government set up the House of Lords Appointments Commission to make recommendations on the appointment of non-political peers. It has taken over the role previously played by the Political Honours Scrutiny Committee. The Commission is an independent body responsible for all nominations to the Sovereign for membership of the House of Lords to ensure they meet the highest standards of propriety. (Party-nominated peerages are usually given in recognition of service in politics or other walks of public life or because one of the political parties wants to have that particular person to speak in support of its policies in the House of Lords.)

After winning its second consecutive term of office in June 2001, the Government announced its intention to consult and then introduce legislation to implement the next phase of House of Lords reform which would remove the remaining hereditary peers and create a partly elected upper house.

Current Composition

The House of Lords consists of the Lords Spiritual and the Lords Temporal. The Lords Spiritual are the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, the Bishops of London, Durham and Winchester, and the 21 next most senior bishops of the Church of England. The present Lords Temporal consist of:

• life peers created to help carry out the judicial duties of the House (Lords of Appeal in Ordinary or 'law lords'); and

• all other life peers, including 15 'people's peers' created in April 2001.

• In July 2001 there were 114 women peers, and 28 'law lords' (created under the Appellate Jurisdiction Act 1876).

The three main political parties are represented in the House of Lords.

Members of the House of Lords receive no salary for their parliamentary work, but can claim for expenses incurred in attending the House (for which there are maximum daily rates) and certain traveling expenses. Average daily attendance is about 352 Members.