Written question asked by Grant Shapps (Conservative) on Tuesday, 23 March 2010, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 25 March 2010. It was answered by Lord Wills (Labour) on Tuesday, 30 March 2010 on behalf of the Ministry of Justice.

House of Lords: Reform

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate his Department has made of the annual running cost of an elected second chamber of (a) 435 and (b) 300 members; and what the estimated cost of transitional arrangements would be in each case.

Answer: The overall cost of a reformed second chamber is subject to a number of variables. As set out in the 2008 White Paper, the Government's intention is to ensure that the cost of a reformed second chamber is maintained at the current or at a lower level.The extra support costs which full-time elected members might require will be offset by the fact that with fewer members, the reformed second chamber will be smaller than the current House of Lords. The exact cost of the reformed second chamber will depend on the pay and allowances of Members.

Secondary information