• Accessibility
• Email alerts
• RSS feeds
• Contact us

House of Lords

Session 2006-07 Publications on the internet

Companion to the Standing Orders and guide to the Proceedings of the House of Lords Here you can browse the report which was ordered by the House of Lords to be printed 19 February 2007.

CONTENTS Terms of Reference CHAPTER 1: THE HOUSE AND ITS MEMBERSHIP Composition of the House Disqualification for membership Membership of the House under SOs 9 and 10 Retirement Writ of summons Introduction and sitting first in Parliament Oath of allegiance and affirmation Leave of absence Notification of death of member Expenses for attending the House Seating in the Chamber Diagram of the Chamber Steps of the Throne CHAPTER 2: THE CROWN AND PARLIAMENTARY SESSIONS Opening of Parliament First meeting after State Opening Prorogation Dissolution Effect of termination of session Demise of the Crown Emergency recall of the House Addresses to the Crown Messages from the Crown CHAPTER 3: SITTINGS AND DOCUMENTS OF THE HOUSE Lord Speaker's procession and the Mace Prayers Quorum Change of Speaker Adjournment Secret sittings Grand Committee Leave of the House Suspension of standing orders House documents House of Lords Business Arrangement of business Hansard Journals Parliamentary papers Public petitions Messages between the two Houses CHAPTER 4: CONDUCT IN THE HOUSE Self-regulation Role of the Leader of the House and the Whips Role of the Lord Speaker in the Chamber Deputy Speakers Chairman of Committees Principal Deputy Chairman of Committees Deputy Chairmen Conduct in the House Relevance Order of speaking Interruption of speeches Speaking more than once Attendance at debate Length of speeches Reading of speeches Languages other than English Reference to visitors Speaking on behalf of outside interests References in debate to the House of Commons Maiden speeches Appellations Asperity of speech (SO 33) "That the noble Lord be no longer heard" The Next Business motion Closure SUB JUDICE INTERESTS Code of Conduct Personal conduct Register of Interests Registration and declaration of relevant interests What is a relevant interest? Advice Enforcement of the Code of Conduct Members of public boards (The Addison Rules) Employees of public boards MINISTERIAL ACCOUNTABILITY CHAPTER 5: STATEMENTS, QUESTIONS AND MOTIONS STATEMENTS Personal statements Ministerial statements (oral) Written statements WORDING OF QUESTIONS AND MOTIONS QUESTIONS What makes a question inadmissible? Public utilities, nationalised and privatised industries Executive agencies Question time Topical questions (balloted oral questions) Private notice questions Questions for written answer Questions for short debate MOTIONS General Motions for papers Resolutions Motions to take note Balloted debates Time-limited debates Amendments to motions Committees on motions Adjournment of debates lasting more than one day Withdrawal of motions CHAPTER 6: DIVISIONS General principles Voting in wrong lobby Voting in both lobbies Votes of the Lord Speaker and Chairman Discrepancies Insufficiency of Tellers Equality of votes Quorum on divisions Proxies Protests CHAPTER 7: PUBLIC BILLS Stages of a public bill Successive stages of a bill to be taken on different days Recommended minimum intervals between the stages of a bill Carry-over Introduction and first reading Devolution Procedure on introduction: Lords bills Procedure on introduction: Commons bills Bills brought up and printed when Lords not sitting Printing of bills and explanatory notes European Convention on Human Rights Notice of subsequent stages Government and private members' bills Commons bills not taken up within twelve sitting days Withdrawal of bills Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform Committee Pre-legislative scrutiny SECOND READING Opposition to second reading Second reading agreed to with amendment Procedure on amendments to second reading motion Motion for adjournment of second reading debate COMMITMENT Instructions AMENDMENTS Tabling of amendments Admissibility of amendments Printing of amendments Rules of marshalling Marshalled lists Manuscript amendments All amendments to be called Pre-emption Grouping of amendments PROCEEDINGS IN COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE HOUSE Powers and duties of Chairman Powers of Committee of the whole House Procedure in Committee of the whole House Procedure on amendments New clauses Amendments to new clauses and to amendments Amendments moved en bloc Clause stand part Postponement of clauses Schedules Preamble and long title House resumed during committee stage Conclusion of proceedings in committee Report received immediately Committee dispensed with or discharged PROCEEDINGS IN GRAND COMMITTEE OTHER COMMITTEE PROCEDURES FOR PUBLIC BILLS Public bill committee Special public bill committee Procedures common to public bill committees and special public bill committees Bill committed to select or joint committee Recommitment REPORT STAGE Amendments on report Repeat amendments Amendments grouped and en bloc Opposition to clause or Schedule Manuscript amendments Rules of debate on report Conclusion of proceedings on report THIRD READING AND PASSING Procedure on third reading Notice of amendments Admissibility of amendments Further proceedings after third reading Privilege amendment Passing Bill sent or returned to Commons PROCEEDINGS ON BILLS RETURNED FROM THE COMMONS Consideration of Commons amendments Amendments to Commons amendments Procedure on consideration of Commons amendments Commons amendments agreed to Commons amendments agreed to with amendments Commons amendments disagreed to Further communications between the two Houses LORDS AMENDMENTS TO COMMONS BILLS LORDS AMENDMENTS AND COMMONS FINANCIAL PRIVILEGE Privilege reasons CONSENT OF THE CROWN ROYAL ASSENT Record copies of Acts PROCEDURES WHICH APPLY ONLY TO CERTAIN TYPES OF BILL Parliament Acts 1911 and 1949 Supply bills Separate subjects Tacking Consolidation bills Tax law rewrite bills Hybrid bills Provisional Order Confirmation Bills MEASURES ENDORSEMENTS Lords bill sent to Commons Lords bill agreed to by Commons without amendment Lords bill agreed to by Commons with amendments Commons amendments to Lords bill agreed to with amendments Disagreement with the Commons Commons bill sent to Lords Commons bill returned with amendments Supply bill returned to Commons agreed pending Royal Assent by Commission CHAPTER 8: PRIVATE LEGISLATION Role of the Chairman of Committees 1: PRIVATE BILLS Origination of private bills Examination for compliance with standing orders European Convention on Human Rights Late bills Lords bills: introduction and first reading Subsequent stages Petitions against private bills Petitions for additional provision Second reading Instructions Commitment Committees on opposed bills Locus standi Bill rejected Recommitment Special report Unopposed bill committees Report stage Third reading and passing Commons bills Queen's Consent Commons amendments Royal Assent Personal bills Estate bills Proceedings after first reading Marriage enabling bills 2: PROVISIONAL ORDER CONFIRMATION BILLS 3: SCOTTISH PRIVATE LEGISLATION Private interests in Scotland Legislation not confined to Scotland Draft orders Order refused Substituted bill Unopposed orders Opposed orders Confirmation bills 4: TRANSPORT AND WORKS ACT 1992 CHAPTER 9: DELEGATED LEGISLATION General powers of the House over delegated legislation Critical amendments and motions Types of delegated legislation Scrutiny of delegated legislation Affirmative instruments Negative instruments OTHER TYPES OF DELEGATED LEGISLATION Orders under the Legislative and Regulatory Reform Act 2006 Remedial orders Hybrid instruments Special procedure orders Northern Ireland Assembly legislation CHAPTER 10: SELECT COMMITTEES Motions of appointment Instructions Membership Rotation rule Chairman Powers Proceedings in committee Participation by non-members Recess, prorogation and dissolution Report Joint committees SESSIONAL COMMITTEES Committees on public matters Committees on private business Domestic committees Bodies analogous to select committees INTERNATIONAL DELEGATIONS CHAPTER 11: JUDICIAL BUSINESS Lords of Appeal Appeals Judgments Recesses, prorogation and dissolution CHAPTER 12: PARLIAMENTARY PRIVILEGE AND RELATED MATTERS Privilege of Parliament Freedom of speech Freedom to attend freely Control by Parliament of its affairs Disciplinary and penal powers Privilege of peerage HUMAN RIGHTS PARLIAMENTARY COPYRIGHT BROADCASTING DATA PROTECTION FREEDOM OF INFORMATION APPENDIX A: CODE OF CONDUCT APPENDIX B: DIVISIONS: INSTRUCTIONS TO TELLERS APPENDIX C: RULES FOR THE CONDUCT OF BALLOTED DEBATES APPENDIX D: RULES FOR THE ADMISSION OF VISITORS APPENDIX E: ROYAL COMMISSIONS APPENDIX F: OPENING OF A NEW PARLIAMENT AND ELECTION OF COMMONS SPEAKER APPENDIX G: THE QUEEN'S SPEECH APPENDIX H: ROYAL ASSENT BY COMMISSION APPENDIX J: PROROGATION BY COMMISSION APPENDIX K: PRAYERS FOR THE PARLIAMENT APPENDIX L: INTRODUCTIONS APPENDIX M: SCRUTINY RESERVE RESOLUTION RELATING TO THE WORK OF THE EUROPEAN UNION COMMITTEE ABBREVIATIONS       Erskine May   Parliamentary Practice, 23rd edition, 2004 GO General Order (see paragraph 8.71) HL Deb. House of Lords Official Report (Hansard) LJ House of Lords Journals PBSO Private Business Standing Order SO Public Business Standing Order

© Parliamentary copyright 2007

• A-Z index
• Glossary
• Contact us
• Freedom of Information
• Jobs
• Using this website
• Copyright