Overview

This bill proposes creating a House of Lords Appointments Commission to advise the Prime Minister on life peerage nominations. The Commission will ensure nominations adhere to set principles, including maintaining a balanced House of Lords and limiting its size, promoting greater independence from political parties, and ensuring the diversity of the UK population is reflected in its membership.

Description

Commission Establishment and Responsibilities:

A nine-member Commission, appointed jointly by the Speaker of the House of Commons and the Lord Speaker, will advise the Prime Minister on all life peerage nominations. The Commission must be politically balanced, with at least four independent members and four Privy Counsellors. It can propose its own candidates for peerages, who must be politically independent. The Commission will set its rules of procedure and guidelines for determining eligibility. These guidelines must be laid before Parliament and can be annulled by either House.

Prime Minister's Responsibilities:

The Prime Minister must refer all proposed life peerages to the Commission before making a recommendation to the Crown. The Commission's advice is binding; the Prime Minister cannot appoint someone deemed ineligible by the Commission, except for a maximum of 40 appointments immediately after the formation of a new government. The Prime Minister must also consider the principles of political balance and House of Lords size limitations when making nominations.

Principles for Peerage Nominations:

The bill sets out three key principles: at least 20% of the House of Lords should be independent of registered political parties, no single party should have an absolute majority, and the House of Lords should not exceed the size of the House of Commons.

Eligibility Criteria:

Candidates must meet specific criteria set by the Commission, including conspicuous merit and a willingness and capacity to contribute to the House of Lords. The Commission must have regard to diversity in setting these criteria.

Judicial Review:

The bill prevents judicial review of the Commission’s decisions or the exercise of its powers.

Government Spending

The bill will create additional government spending to fund the operation of the House of Lords Appointments Commission. The exact cost is not specified in the bill text.

Groups Affected

This bill will primarily affect:

• The Prime Minister: Their power to appoint life peers will be significantly constrained.
• Political Parties: Their influence on the composition of the House of Lords will be reduced.
• Individuals seeking peerages: They will face a stricter vetting process through the Commission.
• The House of Lords: Its composition will be affected by the principles set out in the bill, aiming for greater balance and independence.
• The UK Public: Will potentially have increased influence through the Commission’s ability to consider public nominations.

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