Together the House Committee, the House of Lords Management Board and the Clerk of the Parliaments provide corporate leadership for the House of Lords.
The main objective of the administration is to enable the House and its members to carry out their parliamentary functions effectively by:
- providing the House and its committees with the advice and services they need for the effective conduct of business
- providing individual members of the House with the advice and services they need for the effective performance of their parliamentary duties regardless of party or office
- making the House and its work accessible to the public
- maintaining the House’s buildings and collections, having regard to the heritage they represent.
The House Committee considers and sets strategy issues, the House of Lords Management Board is responsible for strategic delivery and the Clerk of the Parliaments has responsibility for managing and delivering services in the House of Lords. These include:
- determining the governance policy framework and procedures
- defining strategy
- assessing performance
- allocating and managing resources, both staff and budget.
House Committee
The House Committee is the main domestic select committee of the House of Lords. It provides non-executive guidance to the Management Board, and has particular responsibility for financial matters.
Management Board
The Management Board is the body responsible for decisions about the delivery of services in the House of Lords. The directors of the main functions in the House of Lords make up the Management Board.
Clerk of the Parliaments
As chair of the Management Board, Accounting Officer, Corporate Officer, as well the House’s chief procedural adviser, the Clerk of the Parliaments heads the administration in the House of Lords – carrying out the responsibilities of the chief executive of the House.
Domestic select committees
Five of the other Lords domestic select committees oversee the delivery of specific services:
- Administration and Works Committee – includes accommodation and facilities, maintenance, safety and security, print and postal services
- Audit Committee – financial management
- Information Committee – information services, the library and IT
- Works of Art Committee – conservation and display of the artistic heritage of the House of Lords, including artworks, decorative schemes and furniture
- Refreshment Committee – catering services.
The remaining domestic committees oversee the operation of parliamentary procedure in the House of Lords.