My Lords, if I could share my recollection of the Countess of Mar, I was Agriculture spokesman for the last Government, and she had some strong opinions. Whenever I received my brief in answer to her questions, I would sit with her and she would point out where the brief...

My Lords, if I could share my recollection of the Countess of Mar, I was Agriculture spokesman for the last Government, and she had some strong opinions. Whenever I received my brief in answer to her questions, I would sit with her and she would point out where the brief...

My Lords, when the noble Baroness comes to reply to this amendment, can she assure us that her new committee will look at the question that the noble Lord, Lord Newby, raised as to whether the House of Lords already has the powers to do this? As the Convenor of...

My Lords, when the noble Baroness comes to reply to this amendment, can she assure us that her new committee will look at the question that the noble Lord, Lord Newby, raised as to whether the House of Lords already has the powers to do this? As the Convenor of...

My Lords, I too support the idea of a Select Committee that has been proposed by the Leader of the House: I think this is a very good way forward. I therefore very much support my noble friend Lord Blencathra because, as he says, we need a way to implement...

My Lords, I too support the idea of a Select Committee that has been proposed by the Leader of the House: I think this is a very good way forward. I therefore very much support my noble friend Lord Blencathra because, as he says, we need a way to implement...

Moved by

Lord Lucas

11: After Clause 1, insert the following new Clause—

“No majority for one party in the House of Lords

After section 1 of the Life Peerages Act 1958, insert—

“1A No majority for one party in the House of Lords

(1) An appointment may not be made to the House of Lords...

Moved by

Lord Lucas

11: After Clause 1, insert the following new Clause—

“No majority for one party in the House of Lords

After section 1 of the Life Peerages Act 1958, insert—

“1A No majority for one party in the House of Lords

(1) An appointment may not be made to the House of Lords...

My Lords, when considering the future of this House, one of the most important parts is what the relative proportions of the parties should be. The Government, when in opposition, quite rightly complained about our habit of adding Conservative Peers well beyond the point that would ordinarily have been considered...

My Lords, when considering the future of this House, one of the most important parts is what the relative proportions of the parties should be. The Government, when in opposition, quite rightly complained about our habit of adding Conservative Peers well beyond the point that would ordinarily have been considered...

Does the Leader intend this to be a subject for her Select Committee?

Does the Leader intend this to be a subject for her Select Committee?

I am very grateful to the noble Baroness for her reply and I beg leave to withdraw the amendment.

I am very grateful to the noble Baroness for her reply and I beg leave to withdraw the amendment.

Moved by

Lord Lucas

95: After Clause 2, insert the following new Clause—

“Review: impact of this Act on the effectiveness of the House of Lords

Within two years of the day on which this Act is passed, and annually thereafter, the Secretary of State must publish a report on the impact of this...

Moved by

Lord Lucas

95: After Clause 2, insert the following new Clause—

“Review: impact of this Act on the effectiveness of the House of Lords

Within two years of the day on which this Act is passed, and annually thereafter, the Secretary of State must publish a report on the impact of this...

My Lords, in moving Amendment 95, I will speak to my other amendments in this group. I very much hope that we will be able to amend this Bill so that the House of Lords, as it carries on from it, is a great deal better at improving and reforming...

My Lords, in moving Amendment 95, I will speak to my other amendments in this group. I very much hope that we will be able to amend this Bill so that the House of Lords, as it carries on from it, is a great deal better at improving and reforming...

My Lords, I am grateful to noble Lords who have spoken on their other amendments and to the noble Lord, Lord Collins, for his response. I was here for the previous Bill, of course, and can tell the noble Lord, Lord Collins, that his Front Bench was a great deal...

My Lords, I am grateful to noble Lords who have spoken on their other amendments and to the noble Lord, Lord Collins, for his response. I was here for the previous Bill, of course, and can tell the noble Lord, Lord Collins, that his Front Bench was a great deal...

My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Baroness for addressing the debate as well as just the amendment. Will she assure us that that is the general policy of the Government? Otherwise, I am going to have to draft three times as many amendments for the schools Bill to...

My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Baroness for addressing the debate as well as just the amendment. Will she assure us that that is the general policy of the Government? Otherwise, I am going to have to draft three times as many amendments for the schools Bill to...

We were taken to task in an earlier group, and answers were given just to the amendment rather than to the width of the discussion.

We were taken to task in an earlier group, and answers were given just to the amendment rather than to the width of the discussion.

My Lords, I have Amendment 111 in this group. Over the last four days of debate, I think I have been convinced that there are better ways of achieving this.

My Lords, I have Amendment 111 in this group. Over the last four days of debate, I think I have been convinced that there are better ways of achieving this.

My Lords, I express my support for the last speech made by the noble Lord, Lord Newby, on his approach to what might happen on Report, and encourage him to reflect on the suggestion from my noble friend Lord Blencathra that, if that needs reinforcement, it might be by way...

My Lords, I express my support for the last speech made by the noble Lord, Lord Newby, on his approach to what might happen on Report, and encourage him to reflect on the suggestion from my noble friend Lord Blencathra that, if that needs reinforcement, it might be by way...

My Lords, that is an interesting concept, but I do not think there is a vested interest of mine in this set of amendments. I very much support what the noble Lord, Lord Inglewood, said. I think this is a good direction to go down. Of course, I support the...

My Lords, that is an interesting concept, but I do not think there is a vested interest of mine in this set of amendments. I very much support what the noble Lord, Lord Inglewood, said. I think this is a good direction to go down. Of course, I support the...

My Lords, I find this a very attractive way of approaching the amendments proposed previously by the noble Lord, Lord Cromwell, because

it moves the initiative back to the House of Lords, which has to initiate the change. Given that it has to result in a vote of both Houses,...

My Lords, I find this a very attractive way of approaching the amendments proposed previously by the noble Lord, Lord Cromwell, because

it moves the initiative back to the House of Lords, which has to initiate the change. Given that it has to result in a vote of both Houses,...

I have Amendment 40 in this group. I find myself very much in agreement with the noble Lord, Lord Cromwell, which is a travesty of history. My route forward would be by Amendment 32, because I think it leaves the initiative much more with this House than with the Government....

I have Amendment 40 in this group. I find myself very much in agreement with the noble Lord, Lord Cromwell, which is a travesty of history. My route forward would be by Amendment 32, because I think it leaves the initiative much more with this House than with the Government....

Can I ask the noble Baroness a couple of questions? First, as I read my noble friend’s amendment, the duty on the Government would be to put the matter to the vote, not put it in statute. So the House of Commons would have a controlling vote over whether these...

Can I ask the noble Baroness a couple of questions? First, as I read my noble friend’s amendment, the duty on the Government would be to put the matter to the vote, not put it in statute. So the House of Commons would have a controlling vote over whether these...

Moved by

Lord Lucas

35: After Clause 1, insert the following new Clause—

“Rights of life peers to sit in the House of Lords

(1) Section 1 of the Life Peerages Act 1958 (power to confer life peerages) is amended as follows.

(2) At the end of subsection (1) insert “, and, as the case...

Moved by

Lord Lucas

35: After Clause 1, insert the following new Clause—

“Rights of life peers to sit in the House of Lords

(1) Section 1 of the Life Peerages Act 1958 (power to confer life peerages) is amended as follows.

(2) At the end of subsection (1) insert “, and, as the case...

My Lords, it would be a really useful flexibility in our system if life Peers could be appointed without the right to sit in the House of Lords. Frankly, there are people who deserve a peerage but who do not want the obligations, which we have been discussing today, to...

My Lords, it would be a really useful flexibility in our system if life Peers could be appointed without the right to sit in the House of Lords. Frankly, there are people who deserve a peerage but who do not want the obligations, which we have been discussing today, to...