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© House of Lords 2015
Debates and voting in the House of Lords
Nicolas Besly, clerk, House of Lords5 May 2016
© House of Lords 2015
What the House of Lords does• Scrutinises legislation (over 50% of HL time); asks
Commons to “think again”• Holds Government to account (including through
select committees)• Acts as a forum for debate• The House of Lords does not:• directly represent constituents• control taxation or expenditure• decide who forms the Government• routinely block will of the Commons
© House of Lords 2015
Types of debates• 30-minute question time• Thursday debate days:• divided between parties and groups, and• motions for balloted debates• usually on “take note” motions
• Questions for short debate• topical QSDs• “dinner break” or end of business
• Resolutions• Queen’s speech debates• [Also debates on bills and secondary legislation, and
statements]• Can take place in Grand Committee
© House of Lords 2015
Procedure on debates• Normally organised by the “usual channels”• But all members have equal access to order paper; no
committee allocates time• No allocated time, but a normal pattern• House is self-regulating; limited role for Lord Speaker• Only some business is time-limited• All members may speak• Speaking times are advisory• Speakers lists• Debate must be relevant• Proposition; debate; decision• All motions amendable, except “take note”
© House of Lords 2015
Characteristics of debates• Courteous and impersonal• Polite forms of address• Particular courtesies around maiden speeches• Convention of “giving way”• Short speeches preferred• Focus on substance, not party politics• Respect for expertise• Debate continues outside chamber: • ministers writing on points not covered• meetings, particularly between stages of a bill• documents placed in the Library
© House of Lords 2015
Voting• Most decisions taken without a vote: “on the voices”• But any member can force a division• Members walk through “content” or “not content”
lobbies• Have 8 minutes to do so; total time taken 12–15 minutes• Breakdown of results on website• Votes are on binary propositions, not multiple choice• All decisions taken on simple majority• All members can vote on all issues• No casting vote for Lord Speaker• Rules on reversing decisions already taken
