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Honours System (Reform)

I came here this afternoon to make a specific point but, having listened to the debate, I would like to make one or two general observations before I do so. The first point was raised by my hon. Friend the Member for Cannock Chase (Dr. Wright) in the opening speech. Inevitably, the debate on the honours system is linked to two other debates taking place at the same time: the debate on House of Lords reform and the debate on party funding. There can be no doubt that individuals' views on those two issues inform and determine to a certain extent their attitudes to the honours system and how it should be used. Obviously, if there were a fully elected House of Lords, the issue of nominations for peerages and political interference in peerages would go away.