This Library Note provides background information on the Private Member’s Bills introduced by Lord Steel of Aikwood containing proposals to reform the membership of the House of Lords.

This Library Note provides background information on the Private Member’s Bills introduced by Lord Steel of Aikwood containing proposals to reform the membership of the House of Lords.

This Library Note provides background information on the House of Lords Appointments Commission, with emphasis on recent proposals to reform the Commission and proposals to place it on a statutory footing.

This Library Note provides background information on the House of Lords Appointments Commission, with emphasis on recent proposals to reform the Commission and proposals to place it on a statutory footing.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance is issued on the content of vacancies advertised on the Appointments Commission website.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance is issued on the content of vacancies advertised on the Appointments Commission website.

My Lords, while people mull over the various possibilities of what might happen, and without wishing to prolong proceedings at all, may I simply ask the noble Lord, Lord Steel of Aikwood, one question? If he gets a fair wind today and we finish the Committee stage, will he give...

My Lords, while people mull over the various possibilities of what might happen, and without wishing to prolong proceedings at all, may I simply ask the noble Lord, Lord Steel of Aikwood, one question? If he gets a fair wind today and we finish the Committee stage, will he give...

I agree—

I agree—

I simply want to respond to the noble Lord, Lord Hughes. If I heard him correctly, he was asking me for an undertaking that if and when we get to Report I will not bring forward any major changes to the Bill. Was that what he was asking for?

I simply want to respond to the noble Lord, Lord Hughes. If I heard him correctly, he was asking me for an undertaking that if and when we get to Report I will not bring forward any major changes to the Bill. Was that what he was asking for?

Is it not the case that a simple way to proceed is not to move Amendments 142 to 117, to deal with Clauses 1, 2 and 3 and then to proceed to Amendment 163? That will take only a moment or two.

Is it not the case that a simple way to proceed is not to move Amendments 142 to 117, to deal with Clauses 1, 2 and 3 and then to proceed to Amendment 163? That will take only a moment or two.

If that is the sense of the House, the appropriate procedure, as I have been informed by the Clerk, is to go through from Amendment 1, not moving the various amendments and knocking out each clause as we come to the clause stand part debates, and then deal with Amendment...

If that is the sense of the House, the appropriate procedure, as I have been informed by the Clerk, is to go through from Amendment 1, not moving the various amendments and knocking out each clause as we come to the clause stand part debates, and then deal with Amendment...

My Lords, I was very flattered by that.

My Lords, I was very flattered by that.

My Lords, I am disappointed that we will not be discussing the appointments commission today, particularly, as was said earlier, in view of what the noble Lord, Lord Steel, said on the Constitutional Reform Act. My concern is that if the Government’s reform Bill runs into the sand, we would...

My Lords, I am disappointed that we will not be discussing the appointments commission today, particularly, as was said earlier, in view of what the noble Lord, Lord Steel, said on the Constitutional Reform Act. My concern is that if the Government’s reform Bill runs into the sand, we would...

I bet it will be because you have made sure that there are enough people on your side to get it through. It is a very cunning way of getting this through without the whole House being aware that we are trying to reform the House of Lords and not...

I bet it will be because you have made sure that there are enough people on your side to get it through. It is a very cunning way of getting this through without the whole House being aware that we are trying to reform the House of Lords and not...

No.

No.

142: After Clause 19, insert the following new Schedule— ““The House of Lords Appointments Commission The Commissioners 1 (1) The Commission is to consist of seven members (““Commissioners””) appointed by Her Majesty. (2) One of the Commissioners (““the chair””) is to be appointed by Her Majesty to chair the Commission....

142: After Clause 19, insert the following new Schedule— ““The House of Lords Appointments Commission The Commissioners 1 (1) The Commission is to consist of seven members (““Commissioners””) appointed by Her Majesty. (2) One of the Commissioners (““the chair””) is to be appointed by Her Majesty to chair the Commission....

My Lords, the point I made was that it was because of getting rid of that. If the noble Lord takes out the removal of the hereditary Peers, then it is not stage 2 of Lords reform. The removal of the hereditary Peers, which breaks a crucial agreement, means that...

My Lords, the point I made was that it was because of getting rid of that. If the noble Lord takes out the removal of the hereditary Peers, then it is not stage 2 of Lords reform. The removal of the hereditary Peers, which breaks a crucial agreement, means that...

My Lords, I merely note in respect of manifestos at the last election that the three main party manifestos said different things about the House of Lords. They were not all in agreement. My main point is in response to my noble friend Lord Caithness’s argument that this is a...

My Lords, I merely note in respect of manifestos at the last election that the three main party manifestos said different things about the House of Lords. They were not all in agreement. My main point is in response to my noble friend Lord Caithness’s argument that this is a...