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Department overview | |
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Formed | 4 April 1721 |
Headquarters | 1 Horseguards Road, London, SW1A 2HQ |
Ministers responsible | |
Parent Department | Cabinet Office |
Website | www |
The Office of the Leader of the House of Lords (OLHL) is a ministerial department of the Cabinet Office with the duty of providing support to the Leader of the House of Lords, currently Baroness Smith of Basildon. Duties include assisting the leader in providing information, as well as answering questions from members of the House of Lords and the British Government. [1]
The deputy leader also provides support for the office including questioning government ministers and working on legislation debated by the house. The deputy leader is not a cabinet level minister. [2] It also supports the Lords Whip's Office.
The ministers are as follows, with cabinet ministers in bold:
Minister | Portrait | Office | Portfolio |
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The Rt Hon The Baroness Smith of Basildon PC | ![]() | Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal | Management and delivery of the Government’s legislative programme (through the House of Lords) and facilitating the passage of individual bills; Leading the House (in the Chamber and as a key member of domestic committees to do with procedure, conduct, and the internal governance of the House); Issues connected to the House of Lords and its governance; Speaking for the Government in the Chamber on a range of issues, including repeating in the House of Lords statements made to the Commons by the Prime Minister; Ceremonial and other duties as the Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal. |
The Rt Hon The Lord Collins of Highbury | ![]() | Deputy Leader of the House of Lords | The Deputy Leader of the House of Lords supports the House of Lords in its job of questioning government ministers, improving legislation and debating topics of national significance. |
Minister | Rank | Portfolio |
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Vacant | Chief Whip of the House of Lords Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms | Chief Whip has an active role at the despatch box promoting and defending departmental policy which involves:
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Vacant | Deputy Chief Whip of the House of Lords Captain of the Queen's Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard | Deputising for the Chief Whip. |
The Rt Hon The Lord Collins of Highbury | Lord-in-waiting Government Whip | Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office |
The Rt Hon The Baroness Taylor of Stevenage OBE | Baroness-in-waiting Government Whip | Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government |
The Rt Hon The Baroness Jones of Whitchurch | Baroness-in-waiting Government Whip | Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and Department for Business and Trade |
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