HOUSE OF LORDS - United Kingdom Parliament

By the Act of Settlement 1701 1 “no person born out of the
Kingdoms of England, Scotland or Ireland, or the Dominions
thereunto belonging … (except such as are born of English
parents)” may be a member of the House of Lords. By virtue
of a modification contained in the British Nationality Act 1981, 2
this provision does not apply to Commonwealth citizens or
citizens of the Republic of Ireland. Under the 1981 Act, 3
“Commonwealth citizen” means a British citizen, a British
Overseas Territories citizen, a British subject under that Act, or
a citizen of an independent Commonwealth country;
those convicted of treason
The Forfeiture Act 1870 provides that anyone convicted of
treason shall be disqualified for sitting or voting as a member of
the House of Lords until he has either suffered his term of
imprisonment or received a pardon;
bankrupts
Under the Insolvency Act 1986, 4 a member of the House
adjudged bankrupt, or in Scotland a member of the House whose
estate is sequestered, is disqualified for sitting and voting in the
House of Lords or in any committee of the House. A writ is not
issued to any person, who would otherwise be entitled to one,
while he is so disqualified. The court certifies the bankruptcy or
sequestration and its termination to the Lord Speaker and it is
recorded in the Journals;
Members of the European Parliament (MEPs)
The European Parliament (House of Lords Disqualification)
Regulations 2008 provide that any Life Peer who is elected to
the European Parliament is disqualified for sitting and voting in
the House of Lords or in any committee of the House or joint
committee. A writ is not issued to a Life Peer who is
disqualified under this regulation;
1 s. 3.
2 Schedule 7. See also s. 47 of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010.
3 s. 37.
4 s. 426A and s. 427 as amended by the Enterprise Act 2002.
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