Order ID:344

Members of the House are to attend the sittings of the House or, if they cannot do so for reasons of temporary circumstance, obtain leave of absence, which the House may grant at pleasure.

A member of the House may apply for leave of absence at any time during a session for the remainder of that session.

When applying for leave of absence, a member of the House should state in their written application: (a) either the date by which they expect to return or, if they are unable to specify a date, the circumstances which will allow their return; (b) the reason for their leave of absence; and (c) that they have a reasonable expectation that they will be in a position again to take part in the proceedings of the House.

The provisions of paragraph (3) do not apply to the Earl Marshal and the Lord Great Chamberlain.

At the end of a session of Parliament, the Clerk of the Parliaments shall in writing ask every member of the House  who was on leave of absence at the end of the preceding session whether they wish to resign under the House of Lords Reform Act 2014 or, if they expect to attend again in the future, apply for leave of absence for the new session.

A member of the House who has been granted leave of absence should not attend the sittings of the House until the period for which the leave was granted has expired or the leave has sooner ended, unless it be to take the oath of allegiance.

If a member of the House having been granted leave of absence, wishes to attend during the period for which the leave was granted, they should give notice to the House accordingly at least three months before the day on which they wish to attend; and at the end of the period specified in the notice, or sooner if the House so direct, the leave shall end.

The House may refuse or end leave of absence on the application of the Commissioner for Standards or the Conduct Committee, where this is necessary either to enable the Commissioner to conduct an investigation under the Code of Conduct, or to enable the Conduct Committee to impose or recommend the imposition of a sanction on a member of the House.

In applying the provisions of this Standing Order the Clerk of the Parliaments may seek the advice of the Leave of Absence Sub-Committee of the Procedure and Privileges Committee.

Where a member who has been on leave of absence for an extended period applies to renew the absence, the Leave of Absence Sub-Committee of the Procedure and Privileges Committee may review the application. The Sub-Committee will then, having taken into account the length of time the member has been on leave of absence and any information provided in accordance with SO 21(3), decide either to grant or withhold leave of absence; if leave of absence is granted it will be backdated to the date of the member’s application or the date of State Opening, whichever is later.

Members of the House are to attend the sittings of the House or, if they cannot do so for reasons of temporary circumstance, obtain leave of absence, which the House may grant at pleasure.

A member of the House may apply for leave of absence at any time during a session for the remainder of that session.

When applying for leave of absence, a member of the House should state in their written application: (a) either the date by which they expect to return or, if they are unable to specify a date, the circumstances which will allow their return; (b) the reason for their leave of absence; and (c) that they have a reasonable expectation that they will be in a position again to take part in the proceedings of the House.

The provisions of paragraph (3) do not apply to the Earl Marshal and the Lord Great Chamberlain.

At the end of a session of Parliament, the Clerk of the Parliaments shall in writing ask every member of the House  who was on leave of absence at the end of the preceding session whether they wish to resign under the House of Lords Reform Act 2014 or, if they expect to attend again in the future, apply for leave of absence for the new session.

A member of the House who has been granted leave of absence should not attend the sittings of the House until the period for which the leave was granted has expired or the leave has sooner ended, unless it be to take the oath of allegiance.

If a member of the House having been granted leave of absence, wishes to attend during the period for which the leave was granted, they should give notice to the House accordingly at least three months before the day on which they wish to attend; and at the end of the period specified in the notice, or sooner if the House so direct, the leave shall end.

The House may refuse or end leave of absence on the application of the Commissioner for Standards or the Conduct Committee, where this is necessary either to enable the Commissioner to conduct an investigation under the Code of Conduct, or to enable the Conduct Committee to impose or recommend the imposition of a sanction on a member of the House.

In applying the provisions of this Standing Order the Clerk of the Parliaments may seek the advice of the Leave of Absence Sub-Committee of the Procedure and Privileges Committee.

Where a member who has been on leave of absence for an extended period applies to renew the absence, the Leave of Absence Sub-Committee of the Procedure and Privileges Committee may review the application. The Sub-Committee will then, having taken into account the length of time the member has been on leave of absence and any information provided in accordance with SO 21(3), decide either to grant or withhold leave of absence; if leave of absence is granted it will be backdated to the date of the member’s application or the date of State Opening, whichever is later.