Notwithstanding the fact that among the parliaments of the world, 38 per cent have Second Chambers (67 out of 179), Second Chambers themselves have only rarely been the focus of attention from politicians and have almost totally been ignored by academics. This work sets about examining them.

Notwithstanding the fact that among the parliaments of the world, 38 per cent have Second Chambers (67 out of 179), Second Chambers themselves have only rarely been the focus of attention from politicians and have almost totally been ignored by academics. This work sets about examining them.

The House of Lords has undergone significant change in recent years. The exclusion of the great majority of the hereditary peers in 1999 was intended as the first step in a two-stage reform process. But further reform has proved difficult to achieve and remains a matter of considerable controversy. Meanwhile, the present House has become more assertive, and is now widely recognised as making a substantial contribution to the overall work of parliament. This book, available in paperback for the first time, examines the role of the contemporary House. Who are the peers, and who among the total of over 700 are the active peers? How does the House work, and how effective is it in revising legislation and in scrutinising the work of government? Why has fundamental reform of the House been so long delayed, and what are the main arguments about reform today? These are among the questions discussed in this timely volume, which seeks to locate discussion about the House of Lords in the wider context of a clear understanding of the developing British constitution. This book will be of great value to students and academics in British politics, as well as to serious journalists and researchers. -- .

Contributors: Nicholas D. J. Baldwin, David Beamish, R. L. Borthwick, Jenny Brock, Gavin Drewry, Elizabeth Flood, Cliff Grantham, David Jones, David Miers, Douglas Millar, David Natzler, Michael Rush, Donald Shell When reform or abolition of the House of Lords is discussed assertions are frequently made about the relative value of its work; yet there has been little scholarly study of what it actually does. This book is the first to offer a systematic and comprehensive analysis of one complete session. Written by a team of senior academics and officers of both Houses of Parliament, it evaluates every aspect of the activity of the House, including its membership, the treatment of legislation, debates and questions, and select committee work, and contains detailed statistics of sittings and divisions. This thorough and authoritative account will be essential reading for all serious students of the British Parliament, and for all who wish to enter the debate about the future of the House of Lords.