Lesson plan one: part three
Aim: Understanding the types of Members of the House of Lords and the expertise they can bring. Introducing the concept of specialist Committees, Sub-Committees and evidence.
Who's in the House?
Duration: 20 - 35 minutes
Ask students, if they needed an essay checked for spelling mistakes, or help repairing their bike, who would they ask? (Someone with knowledge or expertise of the area.)
So if the House of Commons is making a law on the way hospitals are run, for example, who could give them advice on the law, make sure the new law would work and doesn't break any other laws? (Someone with the knowledge and time, which comes in the form of the House of Lords.)
Committees and having your say
The House of Lords forms groups called committees who carry out investigations into particular subjects to help them give advice to the Government.
Committees play an important role in conducting investigations into what Parliament might/should do. There are different committees for a whole range of different issues including Communications and Science and Technology. To ensure that the committee gets the best possible information in their investigation they invite experts in the field to give evidence. If, for instance, the committee on Communications was looking at how Parliament communicates with the public they may invite people who work in television and radio to give evidence.
Challenge students to pick two people to give evidence to a House of Lords committee. This could be someone famous, local or someone they know - they should not pick themselves! Tell students to pick two people, stating their reasons, for one of the following committees or inquiries:
- Science and Technology Committee: looking into young people and internet security.
- European Union Committee: mobile phone charges in the EU.
Take feedback on students' choices and use the opportunity to reiterate expertise and double checking.
Optional extension activity
At this point you could offer students a breakdown of the types of Members of the Lords.
Life Peers (around 600): People who are chosen to be Lords because they are experts or have worked hard and achieved great things in their area. They could be scientists, professors or experts in education, finance or many other areas. They are mostly chosen by the Prime Minister and can keep their place in the Lords for life.
Elected hereditary Peers (92): These are people who traditionally inherited their place in the House of Lords from their family. The family could have a place in the House of Lords for many reasons, often because an ancestor pleased the King or Queen of the country. Around half of these places or peerages, were awarded over 100 years ago and some were even awarded as long as 700 years ago. There used to be about 700 hereditary Peers, but a law made in 1999 removed most of them from the House of Lords.
Bishops (26): The most senior Bishops in the Church of England are given a place in the House of Lords.
Tell students to imagine that they have been given the task of choosing 630 people to become Members of the House of Lords (life Peers). Give students around 10 minutes, in pairs to complete the task (eg 30 scientists, five farmers, 10 young people, 40 teachers etc....) To aid students, provide suggestions for the type of people to include and list some issues the House of Lords might work on.