The Structure of the House of Lords
Members of the House of Lords (known as 'peers') consist of Lords Spiritual (senior bishops) and Lords Temporal (lay peers). Law Lords (senior judges) also sit as Lords Temporal.
There are currently about 700 members of the House of Lords, including 26 Archbishops and Bishops and 92 hereditary peers. Lords are unelected and most are unpaid - other than a voluntary attendance allowance.
Each of the three main party groups Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat sit in a certain designated area of the House. Each party has:
- a leader,
- whips who organise the business of the House,
- departmental spokesmen who sit on the frontbench.
Many peers have no party affiliation and are known as 'Crossbenchers'. They have a Convenor but no whip system, and their independence is a distinctive characteristic of the House of Lords.
The Woolsack was introduced by King Edward III (1327-77), stuffed with English wool as a symbol of prosperity (the wool trade was England's traditional source of wealth). Nowadays, the Woolsack is stuffed with wool from each of the countries of the Commonwealth, to symbolise unity.
Many peers have no party affiliation and are known as 'Crossbenchers'. They have a Convenor but no whip system, and their independence is a distinctive characteristic of the House of Lords.
The Speaker of the House
The Lord Chancellor (currently The Rt Hon. The Lord Falconer of Thoroton) is the Speaker of the House, and sits at the front of the Lords Chamber on the Woolsack - a large red seat stuffed with wool.
He has limited powers in comparison to the Speaker of the House of Commons, and acts merely as the spokesperson of the House, performing duties such as announcing the results of votes. He cannot control proceedings, or discipline members for violating the rules of the House. However, unlike the politically neutral Speaker of the House of Commons, the Lord Chancellor remains a member of his party, and may participate in debate.
The Leader of the House
The House regulates itself under the guidance of the Leader of the House (currently Baroness Amos) who, as well as acting as the leader for the party currently in government, has a responsibility to the House as a whole. The Leader is often called upon to advise on procedures and points of order, and is required to determine the order of speakers.
Both the Speaker and the Leader of the house are members of the Cabinet.
