Old tradition ends as hereditary peers leave House of Lords

The Lords Speaker paid tribute to their ‘distinguished service’
Parliament has been formally prorogued, signalling a significant shift with the end of hereditary peers in the House of Lords and ending a tradition hundreds of years old.

The formal announcement, delivered on behalf of King Charles at a traditional ceremony in the upper chamber on Wednesday, brought the current parliamentary session to a close.

This historic occasion marked the final time hereditary peers , who inherit their titles through their families, will occupy seats in the Lords.

The majority of the peers lost their seats in 1999, but 92 retained the right to sit and cast their vote in the chamber.

However, the new House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill has now effectively reduced this number to zero, though several have since been permitted to continue sitting as life peers.

Ahead of the prorogation, Lords Speaker Lord Forsyth of Drumlean paid tribute to those losing their seats on the red benches.

He said: “At the conclusion of this session, those noble lords who sit by virtue of hereditary peerages will cease to be members of this House.

“On behalf of the House, I pay tribute to their distinguished service and offer them our sincere thanks.”
MPs, led by Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle, filed out of the Commons after their attendance in the upper chamber was requested by Black Rod Ed Davis – the senior officer responsible for ceremonial protocol.

The royal address, read out by the Lords Leader Baroness Smith of Basildon, set out legislation passed during the parliamentary session and other measures taken by the Government.

A Royal Commission, comprising five peers, signalled nine new laws have received royal assent as the current parliamentary session comes to an end.

As each Act was read out, the clerk said in Norman French “Le Roy le veult” or “The King wills it”, to indicate royal approval.

These were: the National Insurance Contributions (Employer Pensions Contributions) Act; the Grenfell Tower Memorial (Expenditure) Act; the Ministerial Salaries (Amendment) Act; the Tobacco and Vapes Act; the Victims and Courts Act; the Crime and Policing Act; the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act; the Pension Schemes Act; and the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act.

MPs and peers will return on 13 May for the King’s Speech, which will set out the Government’s future legislative agenda.

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