Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Richard Thomson and Nigel Adams

Thursday 25th November 2021 Commons Chamber

[Marion Fellows (Motherwell and Wishaw) (SNP)]

15. If the Government will conduct a review of the process for appointing peers to the House of Lords.

[The Minister without Portfolio (Nigel Adams)]

The Government do not currently plan to conduct a review. The constitutional position in this country is that the Prime Minister is responsible for advising Her Majesty on appointments to the House of Lords. The House of Lords Appointments Commission offers the Prime Minister probity advice and can make Cross-Bench recommendations concerning these appointments.

[Richard Thomson]

About half the peers in the House of Lords have been ennobled since 2010, with most—I am being charitable—not for their sheer luminosity of talent but the generosity of their bank balance. Does the Minister not see that having a Chamber of cheque writers undermines the credibility of not just the House of Lords but the entirety of Parliament? Is it not time that we just got rid of it?

[Nigel Adams]

The answer to the hon. Gentleman’s final point is no. Peerages reflect long-standing contributions to civic life and a willingness to further contribute to public life. In Britain, taxpayers do not have to bankroll political parties’ campaigning. We must be transparent about donations, but those who oppose party fundraising need to explain how many millions they want taxpayers to pay for state funding instead.