What occurred to the hereditary peers in the House of Lords in the year 1999?

Okay, let's talk about the House of Lords and what happened in 1999. For centuries, the House of Lords included a large number of hereditary peers – people who inherited their titles and, with it, the right to sit and vote in Parliament. Think of it like a family heirloom that automatically granted you a seat in one of the most important decision-making bodies in the country. This system was increasingly seen as undemocratic because these peers weren't elected by the public. So, in 1999, the Labour government under Tony Blair passed an Act that dramatically changed things. The key change was that most hereditary peers lost their automatic right to sit in the House of Lords. It didn't abolish hereditary peerages altogether, but it meant that the vast majority could no longer just walk in and participate in debates and votes simply because of their inherited title. A smaller number were allowed to remain, often elected from amongst themselves, but the automatic right was gone for most. The other options are incorrect because the reform was about reducing the number of hereditary peers, not increasing them, and while pay and inheritance are relevant aspects of peerage, they weren't the central focus of the 1999 Act.