Overview

This bill aims to reform the House of Lords by enhancing the regulation of its members' finances and reducing its size. It transfers responsibility for managing Lords' allowances and expenses to the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) and sets a maximum number of peers at 650.

Description

The bill makes several key changes:

• Financial Oversight: The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) will become responsible for determining, paying, and overseeing the allowances and expenses of House of Lords members. This includes investigating potential breaches of financial rules or the House of Lords Code of Conduct.
• Peer Numbers: The bill limits the maximum number of peers in the House of Lords to 650, effective from January 1, 2020. The Secretary of State can make regulations to implement this, requiring parliamentary approval.
• Compulsory Retirement: Although not explicitly detailed in the provided text, the bill's title mentions amending the House of Lords Reform Act 2014 to include provisions for the compulsory retirement of peers under specific conditions. The exact conditions are not specified in this excerpt.

Government Spending

The bill's impact on government spending is unclear from the provided text. While it changes how Lords' expenses are managed, it doesn't specify whether the overall budget for these expenses will increase or decrease.

Groups Affected

• Members of the House of Lords: They will be subject to new financial oversight rules and potentially compulsory retirement. Their allowances and expenses will be managed by IPSA rather than through a previous system.
• The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA): IPSA will gain significant new responsibilities relating to the financial administration of the House of Lords.
• The Secretary of State: The Secretary of State will have a role in implementing the changes through the creation of regulations, subject to parliamentary approval.

Powered by nyModel