Citation 2015 c. 18 Royal assent 26 March 2015 | Territorial extent United Kingdom Commencement 18 May 2015 | |
 | ||
Long title An Act to make time-limited provision for vacancies among the Lords Spiritual to be filled by bishops who are women. | ||
The Lords Spiritual (Women) Act 2015 is an Act of Parliament of the United Kingdom. It stipulates that whenever a vacancy arises among the Lords Spiritual during the next ten years after the Act comes into force, the position has to be filled by a woman, if there is one who is eligible. It does not apply to the five sees of Canterbury, York, London, Durham or Winchester, which are always represented in the House of Lords.
The Act was passed shortly after the Bishops and Priests (Consecration and Ordination of Women) Measure 2014 authorised the Church of England to appoint women as bishops.
The first female bishop to be appointed to the Lords was Rachel Treweek. Consecrated Bishop of Gloucester on 22 July 2015 and enthroned on 19 September 2015, she joined the Lords on 7 September 2015 with the full title The Rt Rev. the Lord Bishop of Gloucester, and was introduced to the House by the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of London on 26 October 2015. She made her maiden speech on 7 March 2016.