House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975
The House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975 is an Act of the British Parliament which prohibits certain groups of people from becoming members of the House of Commons. It was an updated version of similar older acts, including the House of Commons Disqualification Act 1957.
Some of the prohibited groups at the time the Act was first proclaimed into law:
- judges
- serving members of the armed forces
- civil servants
- ordained ministers
- members of legislatures of non-Commonwealth countries (other than the Republic of Ireland, see Ireland Act 1949)
This Act has itself been updated by subsequent legislation. In particular, since the House of Commons (Removal of Clergy Disqualification) Act 2001, no clergy except for Church of England bishops (see Lord Spiritual) are now prohibited from serving.
See also
Categories: British laws | UK constitution | Politics of the UK | 1975 in law