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Business of the House

May we have an early debate on how to carry forward the reform of the House of Lords? Of course, I welcome the Prime Minister’s conversion to the cause of having an elected second Chamber, although I doubt his motives in making that announcement. However, it is highly undesirable that that discussion should be confined to parliamentary opinion, and even less desirable that it should be confined to the opinion of Front-Bench Members, who have a vested interest. Surely the debate should involve the whole nation, by means of a royal commission or of a Speaker’s conference: will the right hon. Gentleman consider either of those alternatives?