Baroness Flather Portrait

Baroness Flather

Crossbench - Life peer

Became Member: 11th June 1990

Left House: 6th February 2024 (Death)


Intergovernmental Organisations Committee
15th Nov 2007 - 19th Mar 2008
Draft Mental Health Bill (Joint Committee)
22nd Jul 2004 - 11th Jul 2005


Division Voting information

Baroness Flather has voted in 141 divisions, and 9 times against the majority of their Party.

5 Mar 2008 - Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill - View Vote Context
Baroness Flather voted Aye - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 7 Conservative Aye votes vs 58 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 148 Noes - 87
4 Feb 2008 - Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill [HL] - View Vote Context
Baroness Flather voted No - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 16 Conservative No votes vs 19 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 41 Noes - 197
21 Jan 2008 - Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill [HL] - View Vote Context
Baroness Flather voted No - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 6 Conservative No votes vs 61 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 121 Noes - 162
15 Jan 2008 - Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill [HL] - View Vote Context
Baroness Flather voted No - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 42 Conservative No votes vs 51 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 96 Noes - 268
9 Jan 2007 - Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006 - View Vote Context
Baroness Flather voted No - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 10 Conservative No votes vs 41 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 68 Noes - 199
31 Oct 2006 - Armed Forces Bill - View Vote Context
Baroness Flather voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 1 Conservative Aye votes vs 1 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 59 Noes - 134
30 Oct 2006 - Education and Inspections Bill - View Vote Context
Baroness Flather voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 2 Conservative Aye votes vs 9 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 65 Noes - 157
30 Oct 2006 - Education and Inspections Bill - View Vote Context
Baroness Flather voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 2 Conservative Aye votes vs 31 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 78 Noes - 175
30 Oct 2006 - Education and Inspections Bill - View Vote Context
Baroness Flather voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 12 Conservative Aye votes vs 17 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 37 Noes - 119
View All Baroness Flather Division Votes

All Debates

Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.

Sparring Partners
Baroness Williams of Trafford (Conservative)
Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
(10 debate interactions)
Lord Sheikh (Conservative)
(6 debate interactions)
View All Sparring Partners
Department Debates
Department for Work and Pensions
(15 debate contributions)
Department for Education
(11 debate contributions)
View All Department Debates
View all Baroness Flather's debates

Lords initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Baroness Flather, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.


Baroness Flather has not introduced any legislation before Parliament

Baroness Flather has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting


Latest 3 Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department
1st Oct 2019
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many polygamous households they estimate to be affected by the move to Universal Credit; and what estimate they have made of the total cost of such households’ Universal Credit claims.

There is no estimate of the number of legally recognised polygamous marriages in the United Kingdom. The Government believe the numbers of legally recognised polygamous marriages to be very low and declining. This is because, since the Immigration Act 1988, it has not been possible for people polygamously married overseas to bring second spouses to the United Kingdom.

No one can contract a polygamous marriage in the UK, but marriage legislation recognises the validity of polygamous marriages entered into in a country where polygamy was legal when the parties concerned were domiciled there. Social security legislation adopts a similar approach to avoid anomalous results (such as treating polygamous households more favourably than monogamous ones).

Information concerning: a) the volume of polygamous households estimated to be affected by the move to Universal Credit, and b) how many polygamous households receiving income-related state benefits is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

In Universal Credit, the process is that the one spouse will claim for the other in the same way as an unmarried couple, and any other adults living in the household will have to claim as single people on the basis of their own circumstances. This process already happens where a polygamous marriage is not recognised in law.

Legacy income-related benefits provide for polygamous marriages only where the marriage was contracted in a country where polygamy was legal when the parties concerned were domiciled there. Provision is at the lowest level consistent with our human rights obligations. These rules have been in place since the introduction of Income Support in 1988.

Income-related benefits are not payable for spouses who do not reside in Great Britain.

1st Oct 2019
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether second and subsequent partners in polygamous relationships are treated as separate claimants under the current rules for benefits and tax credits.

There is no estimate of the number of legally recognised polygamous marriages in the United Kingdom. The Government believe the numbers of legally recognised polygamous marriages to be very low and declining. This is because, since the Immigration Act 1988, it has not been possible for people polygamously married overseas to bring second spouses to the United Kingdom.

No one can contract a polygamous marriage in the UK, but marriage legislation recognises the validity of polygamous marriages entered into in a country where polygamy was legal when the parties concerned were domiciled there. Social security legislation adopts a similar approach to avoid anomalous results (such as treating polygamous households more favourably than monogamous ones).

Information concerning: a) the volume of polygamous households estimated to be affected by the move to Universal Credit, and b) how many polygamous households receiving income-related state benefits is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

In Universal Credit, the process is that the one spouse will claim for the other in the same way as an unmarried couple, and any other adults living in the household will have to claim as single people on the basis of their own circumstances. This process already happens where a polygamous marriage is not recognised in law.

Legacy income-related benefits provide for polygamous marriages only where the marriage was contracted in a country where polygamy was legal when the parties concerned were domiciled there. Provision is at the lowest level consistent with our human rights obligations. These rules have been in place since the introduction of Income Support in 1988.

Income-related benefits are not payable for spouses who do not reside in Great Britain.

1st Oct 2019
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many polygamous households received income-related state benefits in the latest annual period for which figures are available.

There is no estimate of the number of legally recognised polygamous marriages in the United Kingdom. The Government believe the numbers of legally recognised polygamous marriages to be very low and declining. This is because, since the Immigration Act 1988, it has not been possible for people polygamously married overseas to bring second spouses to the United Kingdom.

No one can contract a polygamous marriage in the UK, but marriage legislation recognises the validity of polygamous marriages entered into in a country where polygamy was legal when the parties concerned were domiciled there. Social security legislation adopts a similar approach to avoid anomalous results (such as treating polygamous households more favourably than monogamous ones).

Information concerning: a) the volume of polygamous households estimated to be affected by the move to Universal Credit, and b) how many polygamous households receiving income-related state benefits is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

In Universal Credit, the process is that the one spouse will claim for the other in the same way as an unmarried couple, and any other adults living in the household will have to claim as single people on the basis of their own circumstances. This process already happens where a polygamous marriage is not recognised in law.

Legacy income-related benefits provide for polygamous marriages only where the marriage was contracted in a country where polygamy was legal when the parties concerned were domiciled there. Provision is at the lowest level consistent with our human rights obligations. These rules have been in place since the introduction of Income Support in 1988.

Income-related benefits are not payable for spouses who do not reside in Great Britain.