HOUSE OF LORDS - United Kingdom Parliament

Wilful failure to attend committee proceedings or answer questions or
produce documents may be punished by the House.
Disciplinary and penal powers
12.11 The House’s disciplinary and penal powers are part of the control
exercised by Parliament over its affairs. Conduct, whether of a member
or non-member, which improperly interferes with the performance by
either House of its functions, or the performance by members or staff of
their duties, is a contempt of Parliament. The House of Lords has the
power to punish contempts by imprisonment, fine and reprimand.
Periods of imprisonment imposed by the House do not end with the
prorogation of Parliament.
12.12 The House possesses an inherent power to discipline its members;
the means by which it does so are described in Chapter 5.
12.13 A member can be disqualified temporarily either by statute or at
common law, for reasons such as bankruptcy. Holders of a disqualifying
judicial office and Members of the European Parliament are similarly
disqualified (see paragraph 1.02). The House has expressed the opinion
that privilege would not protect a member of the House suffering from
mental illness from detention under the Mental Health Act 1983 and
while so detained from disqualification for sitting and voting in
Parliament. 1
Privilege of peerage
12.14 Privilege of peerage, which is distinct from parliamentary privilege,
still exists although the occasions for its exercise have now diminished
into obscurity. Privilege of peerage belongs to all peers, whether or not
they are members of the House of Lords, and also to the wives of peers
and widows of peers provided they do not marry commoners. 2 The
extent of the privilege has long been ill-defined. Three of its features
survived into the twentieth century. The first was the right of trial by
peers which was abolished by statute in 1948. The second is the right of
access to the Sovereign at any time. The third is freedom from arrest in
civil matters; but the application of this aspect of the privilege appears to
1 Privileges Rpt 1983–84.
2 SO 83.
231