Parliament Act

Where a Bill has fallen because it has been endorsed by the Commons but opposed repeatedly by the Lords, the Parliament Act may be used.

There have been two Parliament Act – the first in 1911 and the second in 1949.

The Parliament Act allows for a Bill to become law without the agreement of the House of Lords when certain conditions have been met.

The conditions are that the Bill has been introduced and passed by the Commons in two consecutive Sessions and that the Lords have on both occasions actively prevented its passage.

The Salisbury Convention is a convention that typically works to ensure that the unelected House of Lords, cannot unduly block the legislative programme of a democratically elected government, when proposals for that legislation were contained within the relevant General Election manifesto.