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| Lord Lipsey: Elected House of Lords could cost £484m | |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| A democratically elected House of Lords could cost £484m, according to Labour economist Lord Lipsey. | A democratically elected House of Lords could cost £484m, according to Labour economist Lord Lipsey. |
| The peer says proposals to have elected members of the second chamber could make it five times more expensive. | The peer says proposals to have elected members of the second chamber could make it five times more expensive. |
| When questioned, Lord Strathclyde, Leader of the House of Lords, declined to set out the government's assessment of the cost. | When questioned, Lord Strathclyde, Leader of the House of Lords, declined to set out the government's assessment of the cost. |
| He said a full cost estimate would be published alongside legislation, due before the end of July. | He said a full cost estimate would be published alongside legislation, due before the end of July. |
| But Lord Strathclyde added it would be "wrong to assume this will be an enormously costly enterprise". | But Lord Strathclyde added it would be "wrong to assume this will be an enormously costly enterprise". |
| The coalition has suggested cutting the number of peers to 300, from more than 800, with 240 members elected and 60 appointed. | The coalition has suggested cutting the number of peers to 300, from more than 800, with 240 members elected and 60 appointed. |
| If legislation is passed, the first elections would take place in 2015. | If legislation is passed, the first elections would take place in 2015. |
| But the reforms are controversial, with some MPs and peers arguing that constitutional change should not be a priority at a time of economic crisis, and also saying that altering the Lords could undermine the primacy of the Commons. | But the reforms are controversial, with some MPs and peers arguing that constitutional change should not be a priority at a time of economic crisis, and also saying that altering the Lords could undermine the primacy of the Commons. |
| Labour's Lord Lipsey - a member of a cross-party group opposed to an elected House of Lords - believes reform would come at too high a price in an age of spending cuts. | Labour's Lord Lipsey - a member of a cross-party group opposed to an elected House of Lords - believes reform would come at too high a price in an age of spending cuts. |
| He said: "Nick Clegg's priority is to lavish many millions of the taxpayer's money on a new gang of elected politicians. I doubt if the British public will share his view." | He said: "Nick Clegg's priority is to lavish many millions of the taxpayer's money on a new gang of elected politicians. I doubt if the British public will share his view." |
| The peer says the cost of having elected members, paid a salary and office costs, plus the cost of the elections could make a reformed second chamber cost £484m over five years. | The peer says the cost of having elected members, paid a salary and office costs, plus the cost of the elections could make a reformed second chamber cost £484m over five years. |
| This, he claims, is more than five times the corresponding running cost of the Lords for the past five years, which was £91m. | This, he claims, is more than five times the corresponding running cost of the Lords for the past five years, which was £91m. |
| The government says Lord Lipsey may have over-estimated the costs. | The government says Lord Lipsey may have over-estimated the costs. |
| He made his calculations based on there being 450 members of a new upper chamber or senate, 150 more than than initially proposed by the government. | He made his calculations based on there being 450 members of a new upper chamber or senate, 150 more than than initially proposed by the government. |
| And the figures include £102m towards a referendum on Lords reform, which Labour has said it wants but which is not government policy. | And the figures include £102m towards a referendum on Lords reform, which Labour has said it wants but which is not government policy. |
| Liberal Democrat peer Lord Lee called the policy a "gross waste of public money". | Liberal Democrat peer Lord Lee called the policy a "gross waste of public money". |
| Conservative MP Jesse Norman, speaking for the Campaign for an Effective Second Chamber of which Lord Lipsey is a member, said: "At a time of national austerity, it is hard to imagine how the government can justify spending nearly £500m of taxpayers' money on what would be an unprecedented constitutional upheaval. | Conservative MP Jesse Norman, speaking for the Campaign for an Effective Second Chamber of which Lord Lipsey is a member, said: "At a time of national austerity, it is hard to imagine how the government can justify spending nearly £500m of taxpayers' money on what would be an unprecedented constitutional upheaval. |
| "All the key reforms can be made without having to have an elected Lords." | "All the key reforms can be made without having to have an elected Lords." |