Question

To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, what the policy of the Church of England is on reducing the membership of the House of Lords.

In December the House of Lords passed a motion that its size ought to be reduced. The Bishop of Birmingham, who is Convenor of the Lords Spiritual, supported that motion and has since made a submission to the Committee set up by the Lord Speaker to look at options for reducing the size. Its report is awaited.

For many years now the public responses of the Church to proposals for Lords reform have highlighted the problem of the Second Chamber being too large and have called for action to address it.