Ministerial role
Lord in Waiting (Government Whip)
Organisations:
Office of the Leader of the House of Lords
Current role holder:
Lord Evans of Rainow
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.
Current role holder
Lord Evans of Rainow
Lord Evans of Rainow was appointed Lord in Waiting (Lords Whip) on 1 January 2023.
Previous holders of this role
-
Viscount Younger of Leckie
2020 to 2023