Overview

This bill aims to abolish by-elections for hereditary peers in the House of Lords, making it a fully appointed chamber. The bill amends the House of Lords Act 1999 to remove the provision for filling vacancies among hereditary peers through by-elections.

Description

The bill modifies Section 2 of the House of Lords Act 1999. Specifically, it replaces subsection (2) to limit the number of hereditary peers to a maximum of 92 at any given time. Further, it replaces subsection (4) to ensure that any vacancies arising after the bill's enactment will not be filled by further exceptions (i.e., no by-elections will be held). This effectively eliminates the system of by-elections for hereditary peerages.

Government Spending

The bill is not expected to have a significant impact on government spending. The cost of administering by-elections for hereditary peers is minimal, and its abolition will result in only very small savings.

Groups Affected

• Hereditary Peers: The bill directly affects hereditary peers by removing their right to be elected to fill vacancies in the House of Lords. This will ultimately reduce their representation.
• House of Lords: The composition of the House of Lords will change, becoming fully appointed.
• UK Government: The government's role in appointing members to the House of Lords may be slightly impacted due to the removal of by-elections.

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