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House of Lords (Members’ Taxation Status) Bill [HL]

My Lords, no one should be even faintly surprised that noble Lords opposite are trying to get straight to the Committee stage of this Bill by looking at the detail. Even they would blush at defending the present situation in this House so far as people who do not live or pay tax in this country are concerned. I warmly commend the Bill on its Second Reading, although of course more work does need to be done on the detail. But being an awkward guy, I shall begin by addressing a point on which I profoundly disagree with the noble Lord, Lord Oakeshott, and indeed with my noble friend the Minister, which is the nature and composition of this House. They are believers in a democratically elected House of Lords, and they are entitled to their view. When this Bill was last introduced, that was the morning glory in full flower. Today the proposition of an elected second Chamber is for all practical purposes dead, buried, no more, and has fallen off its perch. We need therefore to look at this Bill from the point of view of what is likely to continue to be an appointed Chamber.