House of Lords: Reform

Lord Tyler Excerpts

Monday 11th October 2010 Lords Chamber

[Lord Tyler]

My Lords, on that theme of improving the existing way in which we operate, perhaps we could have one reform this afternoon on which we all agree: that is, that we should take charge of the time allocated for debates. It is surely ridiculous that this extremely important subject allows only two minutes for individual Members of your Lordships’ House, while the debate on the Olympic Truce permits 10 minutes.

On the timing of this debate, I am bemused by the noble Lord, Lord Hunt of Kings Heath, because he was the very distinguished co-author of the 135-page, 2008 White Paper. If he wanted to spell out exactly what the role of your Lordships’ House should be, why did he not do it in 2008 and why now?

We have had 100 years of discussion about the role of your Lordships’ House, and it is clear that some want it never to end. Some believe that a snail’s pace of reform is the appropriate approach—some very big and important snails have recently arrived from the other place who clearly take this view—regardless of the fact that they presumably stood on successive manifesto commitments for reform, in 1997, 2001 and 2005. I presume that they also took note of the overwhelming majority in the other place in favour of democratic reform. It is extraordinary that those who want to codify the role and responsibility of your Lordships’ House do not want to go the whole hog and introduce a written constitution, because that is what it is.

The noble Lord, Lord Hunt, may believe that, but I do not believe that many of his colleagues who support hastening very slowly indeed also want a written constitution. This is a ploy to paper over party divisions and delay the very proper parliamentary scrutiny of the draft Bill that is now due next year.

Those who believe in the primacy of the Commons should look carefully not only at the White Paper but at all the previous analyses of the best way to elect your Lordships’ House. I believe in evolution not revolution. Those who insist on pinning down precisely what your Lordships’ House should do post-reform are revolutionaries.