Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Lords

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Lords
Name	Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Lords
Department	Prime Minister's Office
Style	The Right Honourable / The Honourable
Reports to	Secretary of State for Justice; Lord Chancellor
Seat	Westminster; Houses of Parliament
Appointer	Monarch on advice of the Prime Minister
Formation	20th century

Contents

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Lords is a junior ministerial post in the United Kingdom tasked with managing relations between the Cabinet and the House of Lords. The officeholder acts as a channel between senior ministers such as the Lord Chancellor, Secretary of State for Justice, and the Prime Minister and peers in the House of Lords. Duties often include coordinating legislation introduced by ministers including those from departments such as Home Office, Foreign Office, and Department for Transport.

Role and responsibilities

The office involves shepherding bills from departments like the Ministry of Defence, Department of Health and Social Care, and Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy through stages in the House of Lords. Responsibilities include arranging debates for ministers such as the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with peers from crossbenchers including figures tied to institutions like NHS and Bank of England. The minister liaises with leaders of party groups such as the Leader of the House of Lords, Leader of the Labour Party, Leader of the Conservative Party, and coordinators linked to the Liberal Democrats. Additional tasks may involve engagement with bodies such as the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, Gibraltar delegations, UK delegations to the Council of Europe, and committees like the House of Lords Select Committee on the Constitution.

The post emerged alongside reforms related to peers and peers' roles, including milestones such as the Life Peerages Act 1958, the House of Lords Act 1999, and the Constitutional Reform Act 2005. Its duties evolved through interactions with figures such as Winston Churchill, Margaret Thatcher, Tony Blair, and David Cameron, who presided over legislative agendas requiring closer coordination with peers including those from the Labour Party, Conservative Party, SNP, and Plaid Cymru. The office adapted in response to events like debates over the European Union, the Brexit referendum, and treaties such as the Treaty of Lisbon. Past constitutional pressures involving institutions like the Royal Commission on the Reform of the House of Lords influenced the role alongside parliamentary reforms advocated by the House of Commons Commission and committees set up by Parliament.

Appointments are made by the Monarch on the recommendation of the Prime Minister and frequently coincide with ministerial reshuffles under premiers like Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Rishi Sunak, and Gordon Brown. Officeholders are often peers appointed by the House of Lords Appointments Commission or hereditary peers elevated under the Life Peerages Act 1958. Tenure can be affected by elections such as the 2010 general election or the 2019 general election and by internal party changes influenced by actors like Alastair Campbell and advisers linked to cabinets such as Cabinet Office teams. Dismissals have occurred amid controversies involving figures like Dominic Cummings or policy disputes related to acts including the Human Rights Act 1998.

The minister works closely with institutional officers such as the Lord Speaker, Lord Privy Seal, and the Leader of the House of Lords. Interaction is regular with committees including the House of Lords European Union Committee, the House of Lords Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee, and the House of Lords Constitution Committee. Coordination occurs with party whips, crossbench convenors, and figures like Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town or Lord Strathclyde when negotiating timetables and amendments arising from debates on legislation such as the Welfare Reform Act or statutes impacting entities like the BBC and the Metropolitan Police Service. The role also entails liaison with clerks including those at Parliamentary Archives and service providers such as the National Audit Office.

Several notable peers and politicians have held the post or equivalent junior roles, with links to broader public life through connections to leaders like Harold Wilson, Edward Heath, John Major, and Tony Blair. Prominent holders include life peers active in law such as Lord Falconer of Thoroton, figures tied to the Conservatives like Lord Strathclyde, and Labour-affiliated peers like Baroness Smith of Basildon. Others with crossbench or specialist backgrounds have included members connected to the Church of England, Royal Society, BMA, and academics from University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, LSE, and King's College London. Officeholders have moved on to posts in the Cabinet, appointments to the Privy Council, or roles in international organizations including the United Nations.

Critiques have come from peers across parties such as Lord Tebbit, Baroness Warsi, and crossbenchers citing issues like appointment transparency, links to the House of Lords Appointments Commission, and debates over reform championed by groups like The Constitution Unit at UCL. Controversies have involved disputes over legislative timetabling during events like the Iraq War, the 2008 financial crisis, and debates around Brexit legislation. Accusations of partisan scheduling, patronage linked to honours lists such as those scrutinized by the Committee on Standards in Public Life, and tensions with the Electoral Commission and pressure groups like Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament have been raised. High-profile resignations or criticisms have sometimes involved media outlets such as BBC News, The Guardian, The Times, and commentators from think tanks including the Institute for Government and the Resolution Foundation.

Category:United Kingdom ministerial offices