The Standing Orders of the House of Lords         House of Lords

 
 
Committee for Privileges and claims of Peerage
Committee for Privileges.
19 February 1957.
    78. A Committee for Privileges shall be appointed at the beginning of every session; sixteen Lords shall be named of the Committee, together with any four Lords of Appeal; in any claim of Peerage, the Committee shall not sit unless three Lords of Appeal be present.
 
Claims of Peerage.
24 March 1767.
    79. In claims of Peerage the following directions shall apply in regard to claims by Petition which have been referred to the Committee for Privileges:
 
      (1) The Petitioner shall lodge his case, pedigree and proofs with the Clerk of the Parliaments within six weeks from the date of the presentation of his Petition to the House.
 
      (2) Records and documents in public custody may be proved before the Committee by copies officially certified as in ordinary legal proceedings. The production of originals of such documents shall not be required except on an order of the Lord Chancellor or Chairman of Committees.
Originals of records and documents in private custody, together with copies thereof, must be produced and proved before the Committee.
 
      (3) In unopposed claims the record of the documentary evidence given before the Committee shall be examined by an examiner appointed by the Crown Agent. The Crown Agent may, if he think fit, similar appoint an examiner in opposed claims. The cost of the examination shall be borne by the claimant.
 
      (4) The fees to be charged shall be such as shall be authorised from time to time by the House.
 
Claims of Irish Peerages.
2 April 1802.
    80. A claim to any Peerage of Ireland shall be made by Petition to the House, which Petition shall be referred to the Lord Chancellor to consider and report upon to the House.
 
Claims of Irish Peerages in abeyance.
2 April 1802.
    81. - (1) In case any Peerage of Ireland now is or hereafter shall be in abeyance, the persons claiming to be co-heirs thereto, or any of them, may, by Petition to the House, state such claim, and pray that the same may be examined by the House.
 
      (2) No claim of any Peerage of Ireland alleged to be in abeyance shall be proceeded upon until the same shall have been recommended by Her Majesty to the consideration of the House, or until Her Majesty shall have been informed of such claim by the House.
 
      (3) Every such claim shall be referred to the Committee for Privileges to examine the matter and report the same, as it shall appear to them, to the House.
 
      (4) In case it shall appear to the House that any such Peerage is in abeyance, the House shall inform Her Majesty that in the opinion of the House such Peerage, though in abeyance, is to be deemed and taken to be an existing Peerage, according to the Fourth Article of Union.
 
Report of Committee for Privileges if improper arrangement entered into between co-heirs.
1 June 1954.
    82. If in regard to a claim for the determination of an abeyance existing in a Peerage the Committee for Privileges is satisfied that any arrangement entered into between the Petitioner and any co-heir is tainted with any impropriety, the Committee shall make no report to the House except that such arrangement is not shown to have been a proper one.
 
 
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Prepared 13 November 2002