Convicted criminals in the House of Lords

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Thank you.

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Dear Janus

Thank you for your email.

Under the Forfeiture Act 1870 those convicted of treason are
disqualified from sitting or voting as a member of the House of Lords.
There is no statutory disqualification in relation to any other criminal
offence.

Members of the House of Lords who, having been convicted of a criminal
offence, are given a custodial sentence, are as a matter of course
unable to attend the House or vote for the duration of their sentence.
In such circumstances the Lord Speaker informs the House at the earliest
opportunity following commencement of the sentence. The only member of
the House of Lords who is currently serving a prison sentence is Lord
Black of Crossharbour. The Lord Speaker formally informed the House of
his sentence on 4 March 2008.

Yours faithfully,

Mark Simpson
Head of Enquiry Service
Information Office
House of Lords
London
SW1A 0PW

Tel: 020 7219 3107
Fax: 020 7219 0620
http://www.parliament.uk

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Dear Janus

The House of Lords does not collect or record this information in the form
requested.

As noted in response to your request for information dated 11 December
2008, whenever a Member of the House of Lords is given a custodial
sentence which would prevent them from attending the House, the House
authorities are notified by the court and the Lord Speaker formally
notifies the House. The only relevant information held by the House is a
list of such notifications. The notifications themselves are published in
the daily Minutes of Proceedings and the sessional House of Lords Journal.
Relevant notifications can be found in the following published Minutes or
Journals:

[1]http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa...

[2]http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa...

[3]http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa...
(No.4)

The House holds no record of either:

o Convictions for lesser offences, not carrying a custodial sentence.

o Convictions that Members of the House may have incurred prior to
becoming Members.

Yours faithfully

Mark Simpson
Head of Enquiry Service
Information Office
House of Lords
London
SW1A 0PW

Tel: 020 7219 3107
Fax: 020 7219 0620
[4]http://www.parliament.uk

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References

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2. http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa...
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4. http://www.parliament.uk/