William Hague among 45 new peers in dissolution honours
(about 2 hours later)
Prime Minister David Cameron is set to hand out peerages to a slew of former Conservative advisers later on Thursday in the dissolution honours list.
Prime Minister David Cameron has handed out peerages to 26 Conservatives including former foreign secretary William Hague.
He is seeking to boost his party's representation in the Lords to make it easier to get legislation through.
Some 45 new peers have been appointed - despite criticism that there are too many already.
More than 40 new peers look set to be appointed - despite ongoing criticism that there are too many already.
The majority of the new appointees are Tories, with the Lib Dems getting 11 and Labour eight.
The majority of the new appointees will be Tories but the Lib Dems will get 11 and Labour eight, reports suggest.
Senior Labour figures to be elevated include David Blunkett, Alistair Darling and Tessa Jowell.
Among those thought to be in line for a seat in the Upper House are Mr Cameron's Downing Street "gatekeeper" Kate Fall.
Among seven former Lib Dem MPs to be ennobled are former leader Sir Menzies Campbell and Sir Alan Beith.
Others reported to be heading for the Lords include former Downing Street policy director James O'Shaughnessy, and Philippa Stroud, an ex-special adviser to Iain Duncan Smith.
Former MPs
According to the Daily Telegraph seven nominations have been blocked by Whitehall's appointments committee because they were deemed unsuitable, including former Lib Dem minister David Laws, who was forced to resign in 2010 after an expenses scandal.
Current composition of the Lords
Source: House of Lords
Former Lib Dem ministers Vince Cable and Danny Alexander, who both lost their seats at the general election, are thought to have turned down the chance to enter the Lords.
Former Lib Dem ministers Vince Cable and Danny Alexander, who both lost their seats at the general election, are thought to have turned down the chance to enter the Lords.
But other Lib Dem MPs who were not re-elected in May are reported to be among those in line for a seat in the Upper House, including Sir Alan Beith, Sir Menzies Campbell, Lynne Featherstone, Lorely Burt, Don Foster, Andrew Stunell and Sir Malcolm Bruce.
Lingerie entrepreneur Michelle Mone, who was recently appointed by the government to carry out a review into how best to encourage start-ups in areas of high unemployment, is to become a Conservative peer.
Nick Clegg's former chief of staff Johnny Oates is also set to be elevated, reports suggest.
The new peers take the number of people entitled to sit in the Lords to 826.
Biggest chamber
The British House of Lords is the biggest second parliamentary chamber in the world, sparking renewed calls for it to be slimmed down or scrapped in favour of an elected body.
With 781 members, the British House of Lords is now the biggest second parliamentary chamber in the world, sparking renewed calls for it to be slimmed down or scrapped in favour of an elected body.
But David Cameron has said there is "no point" reviving coalition efforts to reform the Upper House, which stalled acrimoniously following a Tory backbench rebellion.
But David Cameron has said there is "no point" reviving coalition efforts to reform the Upper House, which stalled acrimoniously following a Tory backbench rebellion.
Who is in the House of Lords?
Who is in the House of Lords?
Instead the prime minister has said he wants to "make sure the House of Lords more accurately reflects the situation in the House of Commons".
The Conservatives currently have the most peers - nearly 230 - but are a long way from a majority, making it potentially difficult for the government to get legislation through.
According to the Electoral Reform Society, Mr Cameron would have to appoint 723 more members to reproduce the balance of MPs.
