HOUSE OF LORDS - United Kingdom Parliament

Chancellor, Justices of the Supreme Court, 1 the Lords Justices of Appeal
and the Justices of the High Court. The attendance of such judges is
normally now confined to the State Opening of Parliament.
Introduction and sitting first in Parliament
1.12 The following are ceremonially introduced before taking their seats
in the House:
newly created Life Peers; 2
archbishops, on appointment or on translation;
bishops, on first receiving a writ of summons or, if already a
member of the House, on translation to another see.
1.13 When a writ has been issued to any such person, the Lord
Speaker fixes a day for the introduction. The following rules apply:
introductions may not take place on the first day of a new
Parliament; 3
the House has agreed that, save in exceptional circumstances, no
more than two new members should be introduced on any one
day. 4 This rule does not apply to introductions on swearing-in days
at the beginning of a new Parliament;
introductions normally take place on Mondays, Tuesdays and
Thursdays 5 ;
new Lords are normally supported on introduction by two others
of the same degree in the House. However, archbishops may act
as supporters at the introductions of bishops, and bishops may so
act at the introductions of archbishops; 6
1 Justices of the Supreme Court who are members of the House receive a writ of summons at
the start of each Parliament, notwithstanding their disqualification from taking part in
proceedings of the House.
2 Excluding those hereditary peers who sat in the House before November 1999: resolution of
3 November 1999.
3 Procedure 1st Rpt 1970–71.
4 LJ (1997–98) 775.
5 Procedure 3rd Rpt 2005–06.
6 Members of the House holding offices which give them special precedence under the House
of Lords Precedence Act 1539, such as the Lord Chancellor, the Lord President and the Lord
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