The gradual collapse of the Charles I's government prior to the Civil War enabled the House of Lords to assume a greater judicial role, and although the House was abolished in 1649 it was restored to ...

During the 19th century a growing number of Scottish appeals, together with some Irish appeals following the 1801 Act of Union with Ireland, increased the judicial burden on the House of Lords.

Lord Brougham and Vaux, appointed Lord Chancellor in 1832, energetically pursued additional changes to the judicial role of the House of Lords. He further increased the number of hours in which the ...

The failure to produce a reliable number of legally-qualified Members of the Lords, however, was criticised by a legal profession which now expected the House of Lords to function as a professional ...

The House of Lords' ability to consider judicial appeals (its "appellate jurisdiction") went back to the 12th century when the Monarch dispensed justice via the "Curia Regis" (an advisory council of ...

In 2005 Parliament passed the Constitutional Reform Act which, for the first time in constitutional history, provided for the separation of the Appellate Committee (supreme court) from the legislature ...

Although until the outbreak of the Second World War appeals continued to be heard only by qualified professional judges, convention dictated that these were heard in the Chamber of the House of Lords.

In the late 17th century Britain's economy depended mainly on agriculture. In certain parts of the country there were already some forms of industrial activity where large labour forces were essential ...

In 18th century Britain, textiles were the largest single economic interest after grain. It was not therefore surprising that much of the legislation relating to the economy passed by Parliament was ...

Since the world banking crisis in 2007, Parliament has had to approve the rescue of several banks and building societies costing billions of pounds. It has also had to consider five major Bills which ...