Our offices

Black Rod's Department 

Black Rod's Department is a significant part of the House of Lords Administration's 'front of house' for members and the public. It supports the day-to-day running of the House's sittings and controls access to the chamber and the House of Lords estate. It also has a significant and leading role on all ceremonial occasions, including being responsible for the planning and delivering of all State occasions in Parliament. The team is key to the House of Lords operations via continual coordination and communication with other departments both in the Lords and on a bicameral basis as well as members. 

Catering and retail services 

Catering and Retail Services is responsible for providing catering for members, their guests, House staff and members of the public. There are 10 catering outlets offering formal dining, bars and cafeteria style facilities, including a busy private events operation. It also operates the House of Lords on site and online gift shop. 

Clerk of the Parliaments' office 

The office supports the Clerk of the Parliaments to carry out their duties as head of the Administration (including as chief procedural adviser, employer of House staff, Accounting Officer, Corporate Officer and Data Controller). The office also supports the Senior Deputy Speaker, Convenor of Crossbench Peers, Clerk Assistant and Chief Operating Officer. The Clerk Assistant and Chief Operating Officer are both members of the office and have responsibilities on the Management Board for Parliamentary Services and Corporate Services respectively. 

The office also includes other teams covering governance, internal audit, interparliamentary relations, business improvement and change, and Restoration and Renewal.   

Committees  

The Committee Office provides high quality support for the select committees of the House of Lords. There are usually around 20-25 committees in operation at any one time, involving over 200 members of the House and covering a wide range of policy areas, and this is one of the largest Lords offices. The Committee Office makes sure these committees have the policy, procedural, logistical, administrative, comms and legal support they need to perform their role of influencing policies, scrutinising the government, and supporting the development of legislation.  

Communications 

House of Lords Communications explains what the House of Lords is and does to the public. It uses different channels and ways to promote and engage people with the Lords' work and membership on the Lords' behalf. 

Find out more about House of Lords Communications.

Parliamentary Knowledge & Information  

Parliamentary Knowledge & Information help Parliament to manage its information responsibly, effectively, and in a way that enables the public to engage with its work. It also supports the House of Lords in complying with information laws.  

Finance  

The Finance Department provides accounting and financial services to the House of Lords. 

Areas of operation include: 

• financial management and administration 

• financial advice 

• financial reporting 

• resource and cash management 

• payments to members, suppliers and staff 

• accounting for receipts from members, staff and the public 

Hansard 

Hansard is the edited verbatim report of proceedings in the Chamber and Grand Committee. 

Hansard has been producing the official report of proceedings in the House of Lords and the House of Commons since 1909, but an unofficial version dates back to 1803. 

Human Resources  

The Human Resources Office enables colleagues working for the House of Lords to provide excellent services for members by providing effective HR services and outcomes-focused HR advice.  Teams include: Business Partnering & Advisory, Employee Experience & Reward, Recruitment, Inclusion & Diversity and Learning & Organisational Development.  

The HR team deliver key elements of the House of Lord strategy through our people strategy: recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce; supporting colleagues to thrive in an inclusive, values-led organisational culture, to grow and adapt, and promoting collaborative working within the House of Lords and as part of the wider parliamentary community.   

Journal Office 

The Journal Office is responsible for compiling and maintaining the formal records of the proceedings of the House. It undertakes procedural research for Members and House staff. It also provides the secretariat for certain select committees, including the Committee of Privileges, the Committee on Standards, and the Procedure Committee. 

Legislation 

The Legislation Office supports the House’s consideration of public and private legislation and of delegated legislation. 

The office is in four parts.

The Public Bill Office handles all aspects of public bills, including government bills and private members’ bills, throughout their time in the Lords including amendments to them.

The Private and Hybrid Bill Office does the same for bills which affect private interests and have their own procedures. The Delegated Legislation Office supports the House’s scrutiny of statutory instruments, and delegated powers in parent bills.

The Counsel team provide legal advice to the House of Lords Administration on a range of issues, including but not limited to legislation. 

Library  

The Lords Library is an impartial, authoritative and timely information and research service for members of the House of Lords, their staff, and staff of the House. The Library provides a confidential enquiry service, a wide range of books, newspapers, journals and reference items, plus support for using our online resources. It also produces briefings on all major items of business before the House. 

Find out more about Lords Library. 

Lord Speaker’s Office  

The role of the Lord Speaker's Office (LSO) is to provide high-quality support to the Lord Speaker across his range of parliamentary duties. These include Private Notice Questions (PNQs), engagement with members and the public, education and outreach and managing requests to book the River Room. The LSO also provides the secretariat for the House of Lords Commission and supports the Deputy Speakers, who assist the Lord Speaker in chairing business. The LSO is supported by colleagues in the Inter-Parliamentary Relations Office for the Lord Speaker’s international commitments. 

Parliamentary Archives 

The Parliamentary Archives is the official archive of the House of Commons and House of Lords (UK Parliament). 

Parliamentary Commercial Directorate 

The Parliamentary Commercial Directorate (PCD) provides professional procurement and contract management advice and support to the departments and offices of the House of Commons, the House of Lords and Parliamentary Digital Service for contracts of any size. 

Property and Office Services 

Property and Office Services areas of operation include: 

• administer the allocation of accommodation for staff and Members (in conjunction with the Whips’ Office and the Crossbench Convener) 

• provision of housekeeping and heritage cleaning services 

• contract management including bicameral contracts 

• oversight of projects, and stakeholder engagement 

• support for ceremonial events, for example State Opening of Parliament 

• plan, supervise and control maintenance, furnishings and repair works, in conjunction with the Parliamentary Maintenance Services Team 

• plan, supervise and control estates and conservation projects, in conjunction with Strategic Estates 

• manage health and safety policy, compliance and awareness across the House of Lords estate 

• manage fire safety for our estate, compliance and awareness across the House of Lords estate 

• provision of mail services, crested stationery and pre-paid envelopes 

• provision of photocopier printer supplies and services 

• booking of committee and meeting rooms