Introduction
The UK Parliament consists of two houses, the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The House of Commons has 650 members who are elected by separate constituencies every 5 years by holding general elections. Unlike the House of Commons, membership in the House of Lords is by appointment, heredity, or by function, rather than by election. In fact, the composition of the lords in the House of Lords is very complex, due to different ways of membership.
How to Become a Member of the House of Lords
Most members are appointed by the Queen (not by the people); a fixed number is elected internally and a limited number of bishops and archbishops of the Church of England also sit in this hall. The lords of the House of Lords are selected in the said three ways and are “lifelong members”. They are appointed to the House of Lords for life, but their position is not passed on to their heirs. The Queen appoints members to the House of Lords on the recommendation of the prime minister and because of their achievements during their lifetime. This type of membership is also granted to some members of the House of Commons after retirement. The Speaker of the House of Commons is usually appointed to the House of Lords at the request of members of the House of Commons. When prime ministers resign, they are usually appointed to Parliament. Bishops and archbishops are other members of the House of Lords. When a bishop retires, the bishop who is appointed to replace him becomes a member of the House of Lords. “Hereditary members” are also the third group present in the House of Lords. The method based on the right of inheritance for membership in the House of Lords was abolished in 1999. However, 92 former members of the House of Lords became members on the basis of inheritance.
Duties of the House of Lords
The House of Lords has the role of legislative reformer and its activities complement the performance of the House of Commons. The House of Lords was also the highest court in the country until 2009, when the Supreme Court was established. The rulings of this court are final in civil cases across the UK and in criminal cases in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Lords are involved in the process of reviewing and reforming legislation. Some bills introduced by the government first go to this house to divide its workload between the two houses. Judicial work and control of government activities are other duties of the House of Lords. There are also standing committees in the House of Commons  to oversee Europe, science, technology, the economy and the law. What lords should not do is represent constituencies, intervene in tax laws, and demand pay (except for law lords and some clerks).
The Position of the House of Lords
The House of Lords, although the upper house, is in practice lower than the House of Commons, because it has less power and more restrictions. For example, the Parliamentary Law of 1949 states that if a bill is rejected in the House of Lords, it will automatically become law if the House of Commons approves the same provisions at the following year’s session. Accordingly, the House of Lords can in practice delay legislation on a particular issue for one year only. In addition, the House of Lords has no power over the financial arrangements of the government (such as raising taxes or government spending), and can only delay such approvals for a month. Members of the House of Lords also voluntarily agree not to obstruct the passage of a law explicitly stated in the election programme of the victorious party.
