<P> Several different qualifications apply for membership of the House of Lords . No person may sit in the House of Lords if under the age of 21 . Furthermore, only United Kingdom, Irish and Commonwealth citizens may sit in the House of Lords . The nationality restrictions were previously more stringent: under the Act of Settlement 1701, and prior to the British Nationality Act 1948, only natural - born subjects qualified . </P> <P> Additionally, some bankruptcy - related restrictions apply to members of the Upper House . A person may not sit in the House of Lords if he or she is the subject of a Bankruptcy Restrictions Order (applicable in England and Wales only), or if he or she is adjudged bankrupt (in Northern Ireland), or if his or her estate is sequestered (in Scotland). A final restriction bars an individual convicted of high treason from sitting in the House of Lords until completing his or her full term of imprisonment . An exception applies, however, if the individual convicted of high treason receives a full pardon . Note that an individual serving a prison sentence for an offence other than high treason is not automatically disqualified . </P> <P> Women were excluded from the House of Lords until the Life Peerages Act 1958, passed to address the declining number of active members, made possible the creation of peerages for life . Women were immediately eligible and four were among the first life peers appointed . However, hereditary peeresses continued to be excluded until the passage of the Peerage Act 1963 . Since the passage of the House of Lords Act 1999, hereditary peeresses remain eligible for election to the Upper House; there is one (Countess of Mar) among the 90 hereditary peers who continue to sit . </P> <P> The Honours (Prevention of Abuses) Act 1925 made it illegal for a peerage, or other honour, to be bought or sold . Nonetheless, there have been repeated allegations that life peerages (and thus membership of the House of Lords) have been made available to major political donors in exchange for donations . The most prominent case, the 2006 Cash for Honours scandal, saw a police investigation, with no charges being brought . A 2015 study found that of 303 people nominated for peerages in the period 2005--14, a total of 211 were former senior figures within politics (including former MPs), or were non-political appointments . Of the remaining 92 political appointments from outside public life, 27 had made significant donations to political parties . The authors concluded firstly that nominees from outside public life were much more likely to have made large gifts than peers nominated after prior political or public service . They also found that significant donors to parties were far more likely to be nominated for peerages than other party members . </P>

Are members of the house of lords mps