Hyperlawhypertext legal database House of Lords Act 1999 current to 2026-04-30

UKPGA-1999-34 House of Lords Act 1999 UK

Current to 2026-04-30

Contents
preamble

Be it enacted by the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—

s. 1 — Exclusion of hereditary peers.

No-one shall be a member of the House of Lords by virtue of a hereditary peerage.

s. 2 — Exception from section 1.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

s. 3 — Removal of disqualifications in relation to the House of Commons.
s. 3(1)

The holder of a hereditary peerage shall not be disqualified by virtue of that peerage for—

s. 3(1)(a)

voting at elections to the House of Commons, or

s. 3(1)(b)

being, or being elected as, a member of that House.

s. 3(2)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

s. 4 — Amendments and repeals.
s. 4(1)

The enactments mentioned in Schedule 1 are amended as specified there.

s. 4(2)

The enactments mentioned in Schedule 2 are repealed to the extent specified there.

s. 5 — Commencement and transitional provision.
s. 5(1)

Sections 1 to 4 (including Schedules 1 and 2) shall come into force at the end of the Session of Parliament in which this Act is passed.

s. 5(2)

Accordingly, any writ of summons issued for the present Parliament in right of a hereditary peerage shall not have effect after that Session unless it has been issued to a person who, at the end of the Session, is excepted from section 1 by virtue of section 2.

s. 5(3)

The Secretary of State may by order make such transitional provision about the entitlement of holders of hereditary peerages to vote at elections to the House of Commons or the European Parliament as he considers appropriate.

s. 5(4)

An order under this section—

s. 5(4)(a)

may modify the effect of any enactment or any provision made under an enactment, and

s. 5(4)(b)

shall be made by statutory instrument which shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

s. 6 — Interpretation and short title.
s. 6(1)

In this Act “hereditary peerage” includes the principality of Wales and the earldom of Chester.

s. 6(2)

This Act may be cited as the House of Lords Act 1999.

Sch 1

Amendments

Peerage Act 1963 (c.48)

Sch 1 para 1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Recess Elections Act 1975 (c.66)

Sch 1 para 2

In section 1 of the Recess Elections Act 1975 (issue of warrants for making out writs to replace members of the House of Commons whose seats have become vacant), in—for the words “become a peer” there shall be substituted the words “ become disqualified as a peer for membership of the House of Commons ”.

Sch 1 para 2(a)

subsection (1)(a), and

Sch 1 para 2(b)

paragraph (a) of the definition of “certificate of vacancy” in subsection (2),

Sch 1 para 3

In Schedule 1 to that Act (certificate of vacancy), for the words “has become a peer of Parliament” there shall be substituted the words “ has become disqualified as a peer for membership of the House of Commons ”.

Sch 2

Repeals