The purpose of the Lords Administration is to support the UK’s parliamentary democracy by delivering excellent services to the House and its Members. These services range from procedural advice to the Chamber and Committees and high-quality research briefings for members, to banqueting and catering venues, and professional services such as finance, HR and internal audit. The House of Lords employs approximately 700 people and shares some services with the House of Commons including security, digital, estates and archives.
Chaired by the Clerk of the Parliaments LMB takes strategic and corporate decisions about the management and delivery of services in the House of Lords within the policy framework agreed by the House of Commons Commission. The Board works closely with the House of Lords Commission, the senior member body, to develop, set and approve the strategic business plan, the annual business and financial plans for the Administration. The Commission sets the strategic direction of the Administration on behalf of Members of the House and the Management Board supports and advises the House of Lords Commission. Together they provide the corporate leadership for the House of Lords. The Commission is chaired by the Lords Speaker and includes two Commission Non-Executive Directors.
The Board is chaired by the Clerk of the Parliaments, the head of the House of Lords Administration. We aim to achieve the overall purpose of the House of Lords Administration through our corporate priorities:
- Delivering excellent services enabling Members to fulfil their parliamentary duties
- Being an inclusive, diverse, and professional workforce, delivering a wide range of services
- Supporting greater public understanding of the House and its work and providing services that are value for public money
- Making Parliament safer, more secure, and sustainable
Underpinning our priorities are the four central values: respect, inclusivity, professionalism and responsibility. These inform the behaviours that help to create an inclusive and respectful workplace culture to ensure the best possible service to the House and its Members.
The current members of the Lords Management Board are:
- Clerk of the Parliaments (Chair)
- Clerk Assistant (Head of Parliamentary Services)
- Chief Operating Officer
- Finance and Commercial Director
- Human Resources Director
- Managing Director of the Parliamentary Digital Service (a joint department of both Houses)
- Director of Parliamentary Security (based in the House of Commons, permanent attendee)
- External members (on vacancy, one finishing their final term in October 2025)
The Board is complemented by a Shadow Board, made up of junior colleagues, to bring in new and different perspectives to the Management Board’s decision making. A representative from the Shadow Board attends each Management Board meeting.
There are a number of sub-boards of the Management Board. Most of these are bicameral sub-boards of both the House of Lords Management Board and House of Commons Executive Board. They oversee in more detail areas of Parliament concerned with business resilience, information and digital strategy and governance, major capital projects and programmes, health and safety, business planning and safeguarding. One of the LMB External Members is also a member of the Remuneration Committee.
For further information, our Corporate Strategy 2025-30 is available here, as well as a briefing on our governance arrangements here.