House of Lords (Alternative Second Chamber) Bill [HL]

1 Consultation on an alternative second chamber

(1)

The Secretary of State must carry out a consultation about proposals for
replacing the House of Lords with an alternative second chamber.

(2)

The Secretary of State must, in particular, consult—

(a)

the Scottish Ministers, the Welsh Ministers and a Northern Ireland
department;

(b)

such persons appearing to the Secretary of State to represent the
interests of local government in England as the Secretary of State considers appropriate;

(c)

such persons appearing to the Secretary of State to have expertise in
constitutional law or constitutional reform as the Secretary of State considers appropriate;

(d)

the Equality and Human Rights Commission;

(e)

such other persons as the Secretary of State considers appropriate.

(3)

The consultation must include a process of public consultation, which—

(a)

must be carried out in such manner as the Secretary of State considers
appropriate (which might, but would not necessarily, include the use of voluntary facilitated citizens’ assemblies), and

(b)

must include a webpage for the receipt of submissions from members
of the public.

(4)

The consultation period must start within six months of the day on which
this Act is passed, and must last not less than 12 weeks.

(5)

The Secretary of State must publish a document setting out—

(a)

the proposals on which views are sought,

(b)

the manner in which those proposals would, in the view of the
Secretary of State, be representative of the regions and nations of the United Kingdom,

(c)

such information as the Secretary of State considers appropriate to
enable consultees to make informed responses, and

(d)

how, and by when, responses may be made.

(6)

As soon as reasonably practicable after the day on which the consultation
period ends and within six months of that day, the Secretary of State must publish a summary of responses received and a statement of the Secretary of State’s response to those representations.

(7)

The Secretary of State must lay before Parliament a report containing the
documents published under subsections (5) and (6) .

(8)

In this section “alternative second chamber” means a second chamber of
Parliament which is not the House of Lords.

2 Extent, commencement and short title

(1)

This Act extends to England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

(2)

This Act comes into force on the day on which it is passed.

(3)

This Act may be cited as the House of Lords (Alternative Second Chamber)
Act 2026.