House of Lords members' conduct
The House has put procedures in place to deal with alleged breaches of the Code of Conduct. Find out more about how members' conduct is regulated.
The Code of Conduct
The Code of Conduct provides members of the House of Lords with guidance on the standards of conduct expected of them in performing their parliamentary duties. The Code provides openness and accountability to the public, and is intended to reinforce public confidence in the way in which members of the House of Lords perform their parliamentary duties.
The Code of Conduct makes it clear that members of the House are required to act in the public interest, and in accordance with the seven general principles of conduct identified by the Committee on Standards in Public Life.
The Code also requires that all financial and relevant non-financial interests are disclosed in the Register of Lords' Interests.
To assist in openness and accountability the Code of Conduct requires members to register all relevant interests, in order to make clear what are the interests that might reasonably be thought to influence their parliamentary actions. Members are also required to declare when speaking in the House any interest which is relevant to the subject under debate.
House of Lords Commissioners for Standards
The independent House of Lords Commissioners for Standards investigate allegations that members of the House of Lords have breached the Code of Conduct, including the rules governing members' financial support, use of parliamentary facilities and their treatment of those with whom they come into contact in the course of their parliamentary duties and activities.
If the Commissioners for Standards find that a member has breached the Code of Conduct, except in the case of minor breaches their report, including the recommended sanction, is presented to the Conduct Committee.
Conduct Committee
The Conduct Committee reviews and oversees the operation of the Code of Conduct. The Conduct Committee also reviews reports from the Commissioners for Standards. A member who has been found to have breached the Code of Conduct has a right of appeal to the Conduct Committee, which then reports its conclusions and recommendations to the House. The final decision on imposing serious sanctions upon members rests with the House.