HOUSE OF LORDS - United Kingdom Parliament

papers can be found in the Handbook on facilities and services for
Members.
Public petitions
3.74 Members of the public may petition the House of Lords, but only
a member of the House may present a petition. Members of the House
should give the following guidance to members of the public who ask
them to present petitions on their behalf.
3.75 Petitions to the House of Lords begin:
“To the Right Honourable the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in
Parliament assembled, The humble Petition of [names or designation
of petitioners] sheweth”.
3.76 The general allegations of the petition follow. The petition ends
with what is called a “prayer”, setting out what the petitioners desire the
House to do. After the prayer are added the words “And your
Petitioners will ever pray &c.” followed by the signatures. The petition
may be written, printed or typed on paper. At least one signature must
be on the same sheet as the petition. The signatures must not be stuck
on to the paper. The petition of a corporation should be under its
common seal, which must be affixed to the first sheet.
3.77 Members of the House presenting petitions should sign them, and
either send them to the Clerk of the Parliaments or hand them in at the
Table. 1 In either case, having notified the Table in advance, they rise in
their place after oral questions and say:
“My Lords, I beg to present a petition from [names or designation],
which prays that this House will [the prayer is read out].”
3.78 They may add:
“The petition bears X signatures.”
but no speech may be made and no debate follows.
3.79 Petitions relating to a public bill may be presented at any time
during its passage through the House. A petition relating to a bill which
has not been before the House, or which has already been rejected by it,
cannot be presented.
1 SO 74.
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