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Sessional statistics on Business and Membership

Browse the full sessional statistics, which provide a breakdown of the work of the House of Lords for each session of Parliament.

Session 2007-08: 6 November 2007 to 26 November 2008

Sittings of the House in the session

(Excluding Grand Committees)

 

 

2007-08

2006-07

2005-06‡

2004-05†

 

Sittings of the House in the session

 

 

 

 

1.

Number of sitting days

(excluding days when the House sat for judicial business only and swearing in days)

164

142

206

63

2.

Number of weeks during which the House sat

40

35

50

16

3.

Number of Friday sittings

12

9

14

2

4.

Number of hours for which the House sat*

1110:09

926:19

1372:44

459:01

5.

Average daily attendance

413

415

403

388

 

Length of sittings

 

 

 

 

6.

Average length of sitting*

6:46

6:31

6:39

7:17

7.

Number of sittings continuing beyond 10pm

53

36

54

22

8.

Number of sittings continuing to 10:40pm and beyond

18

12

21

10

 

Divisions (votes) in the session

 

 

 

 

9.

Number of divisions

125

104

192

67

i)

Government victories in divisions

93

75%

54

52%

124

65%

27

40%

ii)

Government defeats in divisions

29

23%

45

43%

62

32%

37

55%

iii)

Unwhipped divisions

3

2%

5

5%

6

3%

3

5%

Dates of sessions

2007-08

6 November 2007 to 26 November 2008

2006-07

15 November 2006 to 30 October 2007

2005-06‡

17 May 2005 to 8 November 2006

2004-05†

23 November 2004 to 7 April 2005

‡ This session, the first of the current Parliament, ran from May 2005 to November 2006. (Typically sessions run from November to November.)

† This session, the last of the previous Parliament, ran from November 2004 to April 2005. (Typically sessions run from November to November.)

 

All-night sitting 10-11 March 2005: This is counted as a single sitting on Thursday 10 March.

 

* Time is shown in the form hours: minutes. Time shown includes adjournments during pleasure (breaks during a sitting). See How the time of the House was spent for details.

 

 

Divisions

A government victory or defeat is defined as one where at least one of the tellers is a government whip. Unwhipped divisions are divisions where none of the tellers is a government whip, so the Government in the Lords has not taken a formal position on the question being voted upon.

Number of questions, debates, statements, and proceedings on delegated legislation

 

 

2007-08

2006-07

2005-06‡

2004-05†

1.

Oral Questions (up to four questions totalling 30 minutes each day)

595

519

743

228

2.

Private Notice Questions (oral questions on urgent matters, up to 10 minutes of questions and answers)

3

2

2

1

3.

Questions for Written Answer answered

5814

5118

7374

1877

 

Debates - Number of motions in each category:

 

 

 

 

4.

General back-bench debates (allocated by party/group)

36

23

52

15

5.

General back-bench debates (allocated by ballot and time-limited to 2½ hours)

13

14

22

8

6.

Other general back-bench debates (not on the normal debate day)

1

0

3

0

7.

General ‘take note’ debates initiated by the Government

6

9

6

3

8.

Debates on Select Committee reports - total

27

24

32

10

i)

On European Union Committee reports

10

13

15

5

ii)

On other investigative Select Committee reports

11

7

5

3

iii)

On domestic Select Committee reports (administration & procedure)

6

4

12

2

9.

Questions for Short Debate - total

45

55

89

14

i)

Taken in normal time

15

29

51

11

ii)

Taken in the dinner/lunch break

30

26

38

3

10.

Motion for an Address on the Queen’s Speech

1

1

1

1

11.

Motions for an Address not on the Queen’s Speech or on delegated legislation

0

0

1

0

 

Statements

 

 

 

 

12.

Ministerial Statements made and debated in the House

63

59

71

23

13.

Written Statements

1242

1043

1648

406

 

Delegated Legislation

 

 

 

 

14.

Motions to approve affirmative instruments

185

169

219

102

15.

Motions to annul negative instruments

17

6

11

2

16.

Other proceedings on delegated legislation

6

5

7

3

How the time of the House was spent

 

 

2007-08

2006-07

2005-06‡

2004-05†

 

The time of the House was spent approximately as follows (with percentages of total sitting time):

1.

Prayers (six minutes at the start of each sitting day)

14:00

1.3%

11:40

1.3%

16:48

1.2%

5:06

1.0%

2.

Introductions of new Members

1:41

0.2%

1:46

0.2%

7:39

0.6%

0:12

<0.1%

3.

Oral Questions (up to four questions totalling 30 minutes each day)

75:54

6.8%

64:46

7%

92:54

6.8%

28:47

6.2%

4.

Private Notice Questions (oral questions on urgent matters, up to 10 minutes of questions and answers)

0:31

<0.1%

0:18

<0.1%

0:21

<0.1%

0:11

<0.1%

5.

General backbench debates (allocated by party/group)

90:39

8.2%

88:04

9.5%

137:41

10.0%

39:24

8.4%

6.

General backbench debates (allocated by ballot and time time-limited to 2½ hours)

26:54

2.4%

28:44

3.1%

44:12

3.2%

18:31

4.0%

7.

Other general backbench debates (not on the normal debate day)

4:14

0.4%

0:00

0%

4:29

0.3%

0:00

0%

8.

General ‘take note’ debates initiated by the Government

20:17

1.8%

43:25

4.7%

20:53

1.5%

9:07

2.4%

9.

Debates on Select Committee reports - total

37:17

3.4%

35:27

3.8%

59:48

4.4%

18:38

3.9%

i)

European Union Committee reports

14:46

1.3%

20:53

2.3%

34:28

2.5%

8:04

1.7%

ii)

Science and Technology Committee reports

4:30

0.4%

1:56

0.2%

10:51

0.8%

5:06

1.0%

iii)

Economic Affairs Committee reports

5:49

0.5%

3:09

0.3%

3:33

0.3%

0:00

0%

iv)

Joint Committee on Human Rights reports

1:00

0.1%

0:00

0%

0:00

0%

0:00

0%

v)

Constitution Committee reports

1:49

0.2%

3:45

0.4%

0:00

0%

2:11

0.5%

vi)

Communications Committee reports

4:26

0.4%

0:00

0%

0:00

0%

0:00

0%

vii)

Reports of ad hoc committees

1:46

0.2%

4:22

0.5%

0:00

0%

0:00

0%

viii)

Domestic Select Committee reports (administration & procedure)

3:11

0.3%

1:22

0.1%

10:56

0.8%

3:17

0.7%

10.

Questions for Short Debate - total

45:22

4.1%

57:04

6.1%

95:25

7.0%

15:07

3.2%

i)

Taken in normal time

17:43

1.6%

31:44

3.4%

59:50

4.2%

12:23

2.6%

ii)

Taken in the dinner/lunch break

27:39

2.5%

25:20

2.7%

37:35

2.8%

2:44

0.6%

11.

Motion for an Address on the Queen’s Speech

32:02

2.9%

32:43

3.5%

32:15

2.3%

25:28

5.4%

12.

Motions for an Address not on the Queen’s Speech or on delegated legislation

0:00

0%

0:00

0%

0:11

<0.1%

0:00

0%

13.

Ministerial Statements made and debated in the House

50:24

4.5%

45:46

4.9%

52:13

3.8%

18:21

4.0%

14.

Church of England Measures

0:19

<0.1%

0:20

<0.1%

0:14

<0.1%

0:21

<0.1%

15.

Public Bills (See Time spent on Public Bills)

623:20

56.1%

446:13

48.2%

719:49

52.4%

228:28

49.7%

16.

Private Bills

2:35

0.2%

1:22

0.1%

5:14

0.4%

0:01

<0.1%

17.

Approval of affirmative instruments

40:14

3.6%

35:21

3.8%

42:09

3.1%

23:06

5.0%

18.

Motions to annul negative instruments

9:16

0.8%

7:50

0.8%

6:42

0.5%

1:03

0.2%

19.

Other proceedings on delegated legislation

5:06

0.5%

5:21

0.6%

5:36

0.4%

1:06

0.2%

20.

Formal business

3:53

0.3%

3:13

0.3%

5:18

0.4%

2:21

0.5%

21.

Adjournments during pleasure (breaks during a sitting)

25:58

2.3%

13:31

1.5%

12:43

0.9%

26:02

5.4%

22.

Other (tributes, unusual events and procedures)

0:13

<0.1%

3:17

0.3%

1:23

0.1%

0:10

<0.1%

Time spent on Public Bills

 

 

2007-08

2006-07

2005-06‡

2004-05†

 

Public Bills

(including hybrid Bills - time spent in Grand Committee is excluded)

 

The time spent on Bills (with percentages of total sitting time) was as follows:

 

 

 

 

1.

Public Bills - total

623:20

56.1%

446:13

48.2%

719:49

52.4%

228:28

49.8%

2.

Public Bills according to House the bill was introduced into:

 

 

 

 

 

i)

Bills which started in the Lords

203:34

18.3%

203:39

22%

217:29

15.8%

91:08

19.8%

ii)

Bills which started in the Commons

419:46

37.8%

242:34

26.2%

502:20

36.6%

137:20

30%

3.

Public Bills according to type:

 

 

 

 

 

i)

Government Bills

594:59

53.6%

402:57

43.5%

687:57

50.1%

223:11

48.6%

ii)

Private Members’ Bills

28:21

2.5%

43:16

4.7%

31:52

2.3%

5:17

1.2%

4.

Time spent on second readings - total

121:04

10.9%

111:19

12%

161:56

22.5%

62:02

13.5%

 

Second reading according to type:

 

 

 

 

 

 

a) Government Bills which started in the Lords

27:30

2.5%

24:14

2.6%

33:51

4.7%

18:08

4%

 

b) Government Bills which started in the Commons

72:25

6.5%

48:13

5.2%

97:44

13.6%

38:43

8.4%

 

c) Private Members’ Bills which started in the Lords

19:14

1.7%

36:17

3.9%

25:46

3.6%

5:11

1.1%

 

d) Private Members’ Bills which started in the Commons

1:55

0.2%

2:35

0.3%

4:35

0.6%

0:00

0%

5

Time spent at committee stage - total

258:36

23.3%

171:16

18.5%

248:44

34.6%

73:27

16%

 

Committee stage according to type:

 

 

 

 

 

 

a) Government Bills which started in the Lords

60:12

5.4%

73:03

7.9%

48:39

6.8%

10:59

2.4%

 

b) Government Bills which started in the Commons

191:41

17.3%

95:17

10.3%

198:59

27.7%

62:26

13.6%

 

c) Private Members’ Bills which started in the Lords

6:38

0.6%

2:14

0.2%

1:04

0.1%

0:02

<0.1%

 

d) Private Members’ Bills which started in the Commons

0:05

<0.1%

0:42

0.1%

0:02

<0.1%

0:00

0%

6

Time spent at report stage - total

189:50

17.1%

118:45

12.8%

212:39

29.5%

55:05

12%

 

Report stage according to type:

 

 

 

 

 

 

a) Government Bills which started in the Lords

66:19

6.0%

48:44

5.3%

72:41

10.1%

38:07

8.3%

 

b) Government Bills which started in the Commons

123:25

11.1%

69:05

7.4%

139:54

19.4%

16:58

3.7%

 

c) Private Members’ Bills which started in the Lords

0:06

<0.1%

0:55

0.1%

0:04

<0.1%

0:00

0%

 

d) Private Members’ Bills which started in the Commons

0:00

0%

0:01

<0.1%

0:00

0%

0:00

0%

7

Time spent on third readings - total

35:03

3.1%

22:17

2.4%

57:14

8%

21:14

4.6%

 

Third reading according to type:

 

 

 

 

 

 

a) Government Bills which started in the Lords

11:22

1.0%

7:10

0.8%

20:36

2.9%

10:21

2.3%

 

b) Government Bills which started in the Commons

23:18

2.0%

14:35

1.6%

36:31

5%

10:52

2.3%

 

c) Private Members’ Bills which started in the Lords

0:11

<0.1%

0:20

<0.1%

0:05

<0.1%

0:01

<0.1%

 

d) Private Members’ Bills which started in the Commons

0:12

<0.1%

0:12

<0.1%

0:02

<0.1%

0:00

0%

8

Time spent on consideration of Bills returned from the House of Commons - total

18:47

1.7%

22:36

2.5%

38:46

5.4%

8:41

1.9%

 

Consideration of bills returned from the House of Commons according to type:

 

 

 

 

 

 

a) Government Bills which started in the Lords

12:02

1.1%

10:42

1.2%

14:20

2%

8:11

1.8%

 

b) Government Bills which started in the Commons

6:25

0.6%

11:54

1.3%

24:26

3.4%

0:30

0.1%

 

c) Private Members’ Bills which started in the Lords

0:00

0%

0:00

0%

0:00

0%

0:00

0%

 

d) Private Members’ Bills which started in the Commons

0:00

0%

0:00

0%

0:00

0%

0:00

0%

Grand Committees

Grand Committees are an alternative to Committees of the Whole House for Bills at the Committee stage. Since February 2003, Grand Committees have been used for the consideration of Northern Ireland orders; and since February 2005, for the consideration of other Statutory Instruments, and for Questions for Short Debate and debates on Select Committee reports. All peers may participate in Grand Committees, and proceedings mirror those in the Chamber on comparable business, with the exception that no divisions may take place.

 

 

2007-08

2006-07

2005-06‡

2004-05†

 

Number of sitting days

75

43

85

29

 

Number of hours for which Grand Committees sat

256:57

142:46

288:14

98:55

1.

Number of Public Bills considered in Grand Committee

14

12

23

8

 

Time spent

182:27

71%

101:31

71.1%

235:31

81.8%

83:59

85%

2.

Number of items of delegated legislation instruments considered in Grand Committee

103

92

106

22

 

Time spent

36:23

14.2%

34:56

24.5%

36:21

12.6%

7:16

7.3%

3.

Number of general debates taken in Grand Committee

27

1

8

5

 

Time spent

26:22

10.2%

2:16

1.6%

13:13

4.6%

7:15

7.3%

i)

Number of Questions for Short Debate taken in Grand Committee

25

0

5

4

 

Time spent

23:31

9.1%

0:00

0%

5:24

1.9%

4:30

4.5%

ii)

Number of debates on Select Committee reports taken in Grand Committee

2

1

3

1

 

Time spent

2:51

1.1%

2:16

1.6%

7:49

2.7%

2:45

2.8%

4.

Other

11:45

4.6%

4:03

2.8%

2:51

1%

0:25

0.4%

i)

Formal business

0:1

<0.1%

0:21

0.2%

0:58

0.3%

0:07

0.1%

ii)

Adjournments (breaks during a sitting)

11:44

4.6%

3:42

2.6%

1:53

0.7%

0:18

0.3%

Note

Adjournments in the Grand Committee are typically for divisions in the Chamber.

Membership of the House

At the end of session 2007-08 (26 November 2008)

By Party/Group

Party/Group

Life Peers

Hereditary: Elected by party/group

Hereditary: Elected by whole House

Hereditary: Appointed Royal Office Holders*

Bishops

Total

Conservative

151

39

9

0

0

199

Labour

210

2

2

0

0

214

Liberal Democrat

69

3

2

0

0

74

Crossbench

173

29‡

2

2

0

206

Archbishops and Bishops

0

0

0

0

26

26

Other

12

2†

0

0

0

14

TOTAL

615

75

15

2

26

733

Note: The table excludes 11 Peers on leave of absence.

* These are the Duke of Norfolk, Earl Marshal (Crossbench) and the Marquess of Cholmondeley, Lord Great Chamberlain (Crossbench).

‡ Includes Earl Peel, elected by the Conservative hereditary Peers, but no longer sits as Conservative.

† Lord Brabazon of Tara (Chairman of Committees) and Lord Willoughby de Broke were elected by the Conservative hereditary Peers but no longer sit as Conservatives.

By Type

 

Men

Women

Total

Archbishops and bishops

26

0

26

Life Peers under the Appellate Jurisdiction Act 1876 (Law Lords, of whom 12 are salaried to hear cases)

22

1

23

Life Peers under the Life Peerages Act 1958

458

145

603

Excepted hereditary Peers under the House of Lords Act 1999

90

2

92

TOTAL

596

148

744

 
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