House Of Lords: Financial proposals must be raised in the Commons, which has the right ultimately to over-ide the House of Lords in matters concerning inance. Bills other than appropriation may orig-nate in either house, but the House of Lords :annot reject absolutely a bill on which the Com-nons is determined. At the most, it can delay its )assage for a year.
House of Lords. The House of Lords is both a supreme court of law and a chamber of the legislature. Its judicial function is quite distinct from its legislative one. When acting in its capacity as the final court of appeal in Britain, the house employs only "law lords," most of whom are elevated to the house specifically for the purpose.
In its capacity as a legislative chamber, the house is composed of life peers and hereditary peers. Life peers possess titles that confer a right to sit, but which are not inheritable, whereas hereditary peers owe their seats to the inheritance of a title automatically conferring the right to sit.
Since the late 19th century the prestige of the House of Lords has been diminished by a growing emphasis in British politics on democracy and elective authority. The Lords' powers were severely curtailed by Parliament acts of 1911 and 1949. As a source of ministerial talent the House of Lords has diminished further in importance because of legislation enabling hereditary peers to renounce their titles and stand for election to the Commons.
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