House of Lords written statement – made at on 19 July 2006.
Lord Hunt of Kings Heath
Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for Work and Pensions, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
My Honourable Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Anne McGuire) has made the following Statement.
The Disability Rights Commission's annual report and accounts 2005-06 have been published todayand laid before Parliament. The annual report demonstrates the DRC's continuing success in its important work to eliminate discrimination against disabled people, promote equal opportunities, encourage good practice and keep the working of the Disability Discrimination Act and the DRC Act under review.
The house of Lords is the upper chamber of the Houses of Parliament. It is filled with Lords (I.E. Lords, Dukes, Baron/esses, Earls, Marquis/esses, Viscounts, Count/esses, etc.) The Lords consider proposals from the EU or from the commons. They can then reject a bill, accept it, or make amendments. If a bill is rejected, the commons can send it back to the lords for re-discussion. The Lords cannot stop a bill for longer than one parliamentary session. If a bill is accepted, it is forwarded to the Queen, who will then sign it and make it law. If a bill is amended, the amended bill is sent back to the House of Commons for discussion.
The Lords are not elected; they are appointed. Lords can take a "whip", that is to say, they can choose a party to represent. Currently, most Peers are Conservative.
Full Act: http://www.hmso.gov.uk/acts/acts1995/1995050.htm
Simpler guide to what it all means in practice: http://www.disability.gov.uk/dda/
Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
When speaking in the House of Commons, an MP will refer to an MP of the same party as "My Honourable Friend".
