Overview

This bill aims to limit the number of voting members in the House of Lords to 650. It introduces a moratorium on new peer appointments and a compulsory retirement process for existing members to achieve this limit.

Description

The bill sets a maximum of 650 voting members in the House of Lords, effective June 1st, 2015. Between October 24th, 2014, and June 1st, 2015, no more than 45 new peers could be appointed, excluding archbishops, bishops, and replacements for hereditary peers. If the number of voting peers exceeded 650 on May 1st, 2015, a compulsory retirement process would be triggered. Retirement would be based on seniority (length of membership), with the longest-serving peers retiring first. Peers could also voluntarily retire by giving notice, choosing whether to convert their title to a non-voting hereditary peerage. Compulsory retirements would take effect on May 31st, 2015, and would exclude archbishops, bishops, and hereditary peers.

Government Spending

The bill does not directly specify any government spending. The administrative costs associated with the retirement process and any potential legal challenges are the only potential impacts on government finances.

Groups Affected

• Members of the House of Lords: Senior members face compulsory retirement, while others may choose voluntary retirement and conversion of their titles.
• The Government: Responsible for implementing the retirement process and managing any legal challenges.
• Hereditary Peers: Not affected by the compulsory retirement process.
• Archbishops and Bishops: Exempt from the compulsory retirement process.

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