House of Lords: Reform Debate

Full Debate: Read Full Debate
Department: Leader of the House

House of Lords: Reform

Lord Lea of Crondall Excerpts
Thursday 9th June 2011

(13 years, 4 months ago)

Lords Chamber
Read Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Lord Strathclyde Portrait Lord Strathclyde
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

My Lords, my noble friend Lord Steel’s Bill is before the House. It has had its Second Reading and awaits a Committee stage. If my noble friend Lord Hamilton were to table an amendment, I am sure that it would be debated if the Committee stage came forward. I have no idea what the Government’s view on that would be, nor indeed what the House’s view would be.

Lord Lea of Crondall Portrait Lord Lea of Crondall
- Hansard - -

Given that there has been no recent statement, as far as I am aware, that no further Members will be appointed for the next six years, is not the question of a statutory appointments commission urgent for the here and now if we are not to keep escalating numbers, which has such a disastrous effect on all aspects of the workings of the House?

Lord Strathclyde Portrait Lord Strathclyde
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

My Lords, I do not recognise the words in the noble Lord’s preface to his question—that there would be no more Peers for the next six years. I am sure that there will be. I have said in the recent past that no government list is being worked on at the moment. The independent Appointments Commission has its own ways of producing names and I do not think that there is a moratorium on it. I and many other Members of this House were Members of a House of Lords that had far more Members than this one and it managed perfectly well.