A Bill to make provision for the appointment of a Commission to make recommendations to the Crown for the creation of life peerages; to restrict membership of the House of Lords by virtue of hereditary peerage; to make provision for permanent leave of absence from the House of Lords; to provide for the expulsion of members of the House of Lords in specified circumstances; and for connected purposes.

Lord Steel of Aikwood introduced second reading debate in the Lords. He explained the four main purposes of the Bill and drew attention to the changes made to the Bill since it was last debated in July.

Part one of the Bill seeks to establish a statutory Appointments Commission that would be responsible for all appointments to the Lords.  In part one there are two changes to the original Bill. The appointment of the commission will now not be taken by the speaker but be made jointly by the speaker and the Lord speaker. Another change to this part of the Bill is that the definition of independent peers has been changed.

Part two of the Bill ends hereditary by-elections.

Part three of the Bill provides for a system of permanent leave of absence, in other words, retirement. Clause 12 of the Bill is a new provision and states that those members who have not attended for a full session will be considered to have applied for permanent leave and it will be granted. There are some exemptions to this.

Part four brings the Lords in line with the Commons so that anyone sentence to 12 months’ imprisonment or more should no longer sit. The retrospective element has now been removed from the Bill.

The parliamentary under-secretary of state, Ministry of Justice Lord Hunt of Kings Heath responded on behalf of the government. He asked Lord Steel questions about appointment to the commission; funding of the commission. He promoted the inclusion of those from under-represented professions such as, nursing, teaching and social work. He also called for the guidelines for appointment to the House to be subject to affirmative rather than negative resolution. Lord Hunt added that the government’s position on the Bill is neutral.

House of Lords

First reading: November 7 2007 [HL Bill 3]

Second reading: November 30 2007

Committee of the Whole House:

• 1st day: no date