House of Lords: Reform

Lord Lipsey Excerpts

Monday 11th October 2010 Lords Chamber

[Lord Lipsey]

My Lords, the purpose of the House of Lords is to scrutinise legislation, especially legislation which the Commons has not had the time or the inclination to scrutinise; to hold the Executive to account from a less partisan perspective than exists in the Commons; to create and sustain a core of men and women of knowledge and experience with a duty to contribute to public debate in Parliament and outside; and to act as an ultimate backstop to prevent a temporary Commons majority riding roughshod over Britain’s constitution and its people’s liberties. A moment’s thought should convince any objective observer that these functions are best discharged by an essentially appointed rather than elected House.