Ministerial role
Baroness in Waiting (Government Whip)
Organisations:
Office of the Leader of the House of Lords
Responsibilities
Lords Whips have the same constitutional position as departmental ministers. Their role in the House of Lords is different from that of Whips in the Commons, which is predominantly party management.
A Lords Whip has an active role at the despatch box promoting and defending departmental policy which involves:
- answering questions
- responding to debates
- taking through primary and secondary legislation
If the department concerned does not have a departmental minister in the House of Lords, all of that department’s business will fall to a Whip.
Previous holders of this role
-
Baroness Chisholm of Owlpen
2021 to 2022
-
Baroness Penn
2020 to 2021
-
Baroness Berridge of The Vale of Catmose
2019 to 2020
-
Baroness Jolly
2013 to 2015
-
Baroness Garden of Frognal
2010 to 2013