Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs written statement – made at on 22 July 2010.
Jeremy Browne
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office
The "British Council Annual Report" will be laid before Parliament this afternoon. The report covers the work of the British Council in the period 2009-10. Copies will be made available in the Vote Office (and Printed Paper Office in the House of Lords). A copy of the report is also available on the British Council website (www.britishcouncil.org). I commend the report to the House.
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.
