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House of Lords: Reform

My Lords, I am not completely against an elected element in this House. I am against an elected element that does not have the powers that an electorate will expect of elected Members. To follow that up, does my noble and learned friend think that this White Paper contains any firm proposals? He will recall paragraph 61 of the Cunningham report, which was endorsed by both Houses and which was, indeed, a matter of resolution in both Houses. It said: "““Should any firm proposals come forward to change the composition of the House of Lords, the conventions between the Houses would have to be examined again””." If there are firm proposals in this White Paper—I have not had long to read it, but some of them seem pretty firm—can my noble and learned friend say when these issues will be examined again before a decision is taken in another place on how we should proceed? The White Paper refers to ““an endorsed option””. Is that a decision? My noble and learned friend said that the White Paper was impressive; it is certainly very remarkable in many respects. Will my noble and learned friend then turn his attention to the procedure in another place and say whether, in his view, it is possible to vote in another place for reform, as set out perhaps in the Labour Party manifesto, but not thereby tie oneself to voting for the principle of an elected element, on which there was said to be a free vote? Those are two very specific points. I leave the broader principles in the White Paper for another time.