Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Statement by the Baroness Smith of Basildon on 19 June (HLWS717) on nominations to the House of Lords, what is the limit on the number of recommendations they will make directly each year of candidates to sit as crossbench peers.

It is established practice that the Prime Minister can appoint individuals with a record of service to the public to the crossbenches. As set out in the written statement, the Prime Minister will continue to make a limited number of appointments via this route.

The number of appointments to the House of Lords is a matter for the Prime Minister and any future appointments will be announced in the normal way.