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Non-voting lords claimed over £100,000 expenses in last parliament Non-voting peers claimed over £100,000 in expenses in last parliament
(34 minutes later)
Peers who did not vote in a single debate in the last parliament claimed more than £100,000 in expenses allowances, a study by the Electoral Reform Society has found.Peers who did not vote in a single debate in the last parliament claimed more than £100,000 in expenses allowances, a study by the Electoral Reform Society has found.
The report found a small number of peers were not voting at all but proving expensive because they still claim allowances. The report found that a small number of peers were not voting at all but proving expensive because they still claim allowances.
It also argued that David Cameron’s expected plan to appoint another 50 peers – including a number of Tory advisers – could cost the taxpayer at least another £1.3m annually. It said David Cameron’s expected plan to appoint another 50 peers – including a number of Tory advisers – could cost the taxpayer at least another £1.3m annually.
The prime minister is likely to bring in dozens more Conservative peers over the course of the parliament in an attempt to erode the fact that Labour and the Liberal Democrats can act together to defeat the government in the House of Lords. The prime minister is likely to bring in dozens more Conservative peers over the course of the parliament in an attempt to erode the ability of Labour and the Liberal Democrats to act together to defeat the government in the House of Lords.
He is also facing calls to reform the Lords at long last, having said he regrets not having done so earlier. Critics argue it has grown too big and the current crop of peers do not represent value for money. However, Cameron is unlikely to have enough of a majority to push such reforms through the House of Commons given that a previous attempt to do so under the coalition was squashed by a threatened rebellion from his own backbenchers. Cameron is also facing calls to reform the Lords, having said he regrets not having done so earlier. Critics argue that the upper house has grown too big and the current crop of peers do not represent value for money.
One argument that has been made in favour of the House of Lords is that it contains a wealth of independent experts who are good at holding the Commons to account. However, the Electoral Reform Society study also found that independent crossbenchers were the least likely to be active participants in the Lords, with 45% taking part in 10 or fewer votes compared with 8% of party political peers having such a poor record. However, Cameron is unlikely to have enough of a majority to push such reforms through the House of Commons given that a previous attempt to do so under the coalition was squashed by a threatened rebellion from his own backbenchers.
One argument that has been made in favour of the House of Lords is that it contains a wealth of independent experts who are good at holding the Commons to account. However, the Electoral Reform Society study found that independent crossbenchers were the least likely to be active participants in the Lords, with 45% taking part in 10 or fewer votes, compared with 8% of party political peers.
A quarter of appointments to the House of Lords between 1997 and 2015 were former MPs and just over a third had previously worked in politics, while just 1% came from manual backgrounds. An analysis found more than half were older than 70 and 44% were based in London or the south-east.A quarter of appointments to the House of Lords between 1997 and 2015 were former MPs and just over a third had previously worked in politics, while just 1% came from manual backgrounds. An analysis found more than half were older than 70 and 44% were based in London or the south-east.
Darren Hughes, deputy chief executive of the Electoral Reform Society, said its research showed the House of Lords is “growing out of control, with the government set on appointing hundreds more peers at a cost of millions”. Darren Hughes, deputy chief executive of the Electoral Reform Society, said the research showed the House of Lords was “growing out of control, with the government set on appointing hundreds more peers at a cost of millions”.
“We have shown that far from being a bastion of independence, non-partisan crossbench peers turn up far less frequently than party-political peers,” he said. “On top of that, we have found that over a third of lords previously worked in politics – compared with less than 1% of the British public. This is not a chamber of experts – it’s a chamber of professional politicians.” He said: “We have shown that far from being a bastion of independence, non-partisan crossbench peers turn up far less frequently than party-political peers. On top of that, we have found that over a third of lords previously worked in politics, compared with less than 1% of the British public. This is not a chamber of experts, it’s a chamber of professional politicians.”