House of Lords (Tanaau)
House of Lords | |
|---|---|
| 1st Parliament | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| History | |
| Founded | 17 November 2023 |
| Leadership | |
Speaker | Vacant |
House Leader | Vacant |
| Structure | |
Length of term | Life Tenure |
| Constitution | |
| Constitution of Tanaau | |
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of Tanaau.
Membership is not acquired by election, unlike the House of Commons. Members are appointed, usually for life, by the Monarch. Members are either Tanaauan nobility, or senior bishops and archbishops in the Church of Tanaau. Princes in the royal family may also sit as members of the house upon turning 16, and vote in the house upon turning 18.
As the upper house of Parliament, the House of Lords has many similar functions to the House of Commons as there is near perfect bicameralism. It scrutinises legislation, holds the government to account, and considers and reports upon public policy. Peers may also seek to introduce legislation or propose amendments to bills.
Senior government ministers usually aren't appointed from the house, but often junior government ministers do originate from the house.
The King's Speech during state openings of parliament happen in the House of Lords.
History
The House of Lords was established on 17 November 2023. It was formed in the constitution.
Functions
Legislation
Bills, with the exception of money bills, can be proposed in the House of Lords by its members. Legislation can also be proposed to either house by the monarch.
The House of Lords debates, votes on, and can amend bills. The Constitution of Tanaau stipulates that if any of the three legislative powers (the monarch, House of Lords and House of Commons) vetos a bill then it cannot be proposed again for the remainder of the legislative session. This gives the house the power to delay a bill as long as it wishes or veto a bill which cannot be undone by the House of Commons.
Relationship with Government
The House of Lords has less control over the government than the House of Commons, who can force a government to resign through votes of no confidence. As a result, the House of Lords has little oversight of the government.
Conventionally, cabinet ministers are usually members of the House of Commons. However, junior government ministers are usually appointed from both the House of Commons and House of Lords.
Membership
Members of the House of Lords fall into two categories.
Lords Temporal
Members of the house who sit in the house by virtue of their title are known as Lords Temporal. They can be hereditary peers or life peers.
Noble titles are created and granted at the discretion of the monarch, along with if the title is hereditary or life. Usually a seat in the house accompanies the granting of peerages.
Princes who sit in the house fall into this category.
Lords Spiritual
Members of the house who sit in the house by virtue of their religious office are known as Lords Spiritual. Lords Spiritual are appointed from archbishops and senior bishops of the Church of Tanaau.
The number of lords spiritual who sit in the house is determined at the monarch's discretion - usually considering the number of bishops in the Church of Tanaau. The Archbishop of Tanaau is almost always guaranteed a seat as a Lord Spiritual in the house.
Qualifications
Exact qualifications for membership is determined by the house. However, the constitution stipulates some regulations as to who can and cannot be members.
The constitution stipulates that members appointed to the house have to be 18, with the exception of royal princes who can take seats without voting rights in the house at 16, and hold a noble or senior Church of Tanaau title.
By convention, and for practical reasons, members have to be Tanaauan citizens.
Members do not have to be in a political party to sit in the house, with independent members being known as 'crossbenchers'.
Dismissal
Members of the House of Lords can be dismissed - this is traditionally done in two ways. The house may either vote to expel a member for breach of the house's rules, or the monarch may dismiss house members at their own discretion.
If the house expels one of its members then the member may not return to the house, but if they are dismissed by the monarch it's at the monarch's discretion whether they can return to the house in the future.
Officers
The primary officer of the house is the Speaker of the House of Lords, who is the house's presiding officer. The speaker is appointed by the monarch, but the house has free reign in electing its own secretaries and deputy speakers.
The monarch also appoints a Leader of the House of Lords on the nomination of the prime minister. The leader of the house manages government business in the house.