Tag Archives: Lord Mcfall

The House of Lords is too large: party leaders must put aside short-term interests and agree plans to reduce its numbers

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Five years after its creation, the Lord Speaker’s committee on the size of the House has called for firm, fast action on reducing the number of peers in the legislature. Chair of the committee, Lord (Terry) Burns, argues that it is essential that party leaders have the courage to come together and agree the necessary measures. 

To mark the retirement of Lord (Norman) Fowler as Lord Speaker, the committee he set up to make recommendations on reducing the size of the House of Lords recently published its fourth report. I have had the intriguing task of chairing the committee, which was ably advised by the Constitution Unit’s Director, Meg Russell.

The House of Lords has too many members

There have been over 1,500 life peers appointed since the enactment of the Life Peerages Act 1958. Of those, just over 800 have now died or retired. The net result is a House today consisting of some 700 life peers, 92 hereditary peers (there are currently vacancies because several by-elections were postponed due to the pandemic) and 26 bishops. The numbers for hereditary peers and bishops are both set by legislation, and it follows that changes to the overall size of the House are now determined almost entirely by increases or decreases in the number of life peers – which is not limited by statute or convention.

During the first 30 or so years of life peerages, there were an average of 20 appointments per year, which has since risen to 30 per year. The average age at appointment has been reasonably steady at 60, with a small decline in recent years.

There were relatively few leavers in the early years owing to the small size of the group of life peers, but over the past 30 years the average number has been close to 20 per year. The average age of leavers has risen over time, reflecting increased life expectancy, and has stood at a little over 80 in recent years.

The House was greatly reduced in size by the 1999 reforms, which removed hundreds of hereditary peers, but concerns have been raised during the past 10 years about its increasing size as the number of life peers rose above 700 and the total number of members moved back above 800. Several relatively small legislative changes have been introduced allowing for retirements and excluding members after a period of non-attendance – but all attempts to change the composition of the House have foundered.

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House of Lords Committees: What needs to change?

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25476The House of Lords Liaison Committee is currently undertaking an inquiry into the functioning of select committees in the House of Lords. With Brexit due to occur in March 2019, it is likely that the scope and role of many committees will change significantly. In this post, Lord McFall of Alcuith, who chairs the Liaison Committee, discusses the inquiry and some of the issues it will need to examine in order to be effective.

When I joined the House of Lords in 2010, following 23 years in the House of Commons (including ten as Chairman of the Treasury Select Committee), I was impressed by the range and extent of committee activity in the second chamber. Having gone on to serve on a number of committees – including the Draft Financial Services Bill Joint Committee, Economic Affairs Committee, the Parliamentary Commission on Banking Standards and the EU Financial Affairs Sub-Committee – I developed a stronger appreciation of the depth, breadth and rigor of their work. Committee activity is a crucial part of the work of the House of Lords, which is well placed to draw on the extensive and wide-ranging expertise of our members and adds significant value to the work of parliament as a whole. I believe that Lords Committees also contribute to society more widely through their influence on government policy and societal change.

Nevertheless, we need to do more to increase awareness of this vital and relevant role. House of Lords committees should be more at the forefront of engaging the public in their work. I want to see that engagement develop into a national conversation about the work of our committees and how and why they are relevant to the public. Committees provide a unique opportunity for people from all walks of society and all parts of the United Kingdom to interact with the House of Lords. Our inquiries should inspire conversation and debate about the important issues they address. And we need to use digital tools, as well as our more traditional meetings and visits, to extend their reach. Continue reading →