House of Lords Reform

05 Dec 2024

Question

Hansard

ANALYSIS\n-----------\n\nKey Content and Structure:\n- The Question proceedings in the House of Commons focused on the House of Lords Reform, specifically the removal of the hereditary peerage role, introduced through the House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill.\n- Polly Billington (Labour) initiated the discussion with a question about the progress of the reform.\n- Highlighted the introduction of the bill as significant progress in removing hereditary rights to sit and vote, aimed at reflecting a modern legislature devoid of positions by birthright.\n- Nick Thomas-Symonds (Labour) supported the proposed reform, emphasizing its necessity in a modern democracy.\n\nPolicy and Terminology:\n- "House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill" \n- "Modern legislature" \n- "Hereditary principle," "Birth,” “Mandate for reform"\n\nNamed Entities:\n- Ms. Polly Billington (Labour, East Thanet), Nick Thomas-Symonds (Labour, Torfaen)\n- Department handling reforms not explicitly mentioned but inferred to be related to constitutional affairs. \n\nNumerical Data and Statistics:\n- Reference to a new requirement for a 150-word justification for peerage nominations, enhancing transparency.\n\nRelated Legislation and Parliamentary Procedures:\n- House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill - passed unamended, indicating potentially broad consensus or lack of substantial opposition thus far.\n\nPolitical Positions & Governmental Bodies:\n- Labour's clear stance is against hereditary roles in legislature, aligning with a broader modern democratic agenda.\n\nDepartment & Parliamentary Business:\n- Likely under purview of a constitutional affairs department or committee.\n\nKey Dates and Timeframes:\n- Bill's Second Reading scheduled in "the other place" (House of Lords) next week, suggesting urgency and commitment.\n\n2. SPEAKER POINTS\n----------------\n\nPolly Billington (Labour, East Thanet):\n- Role & Position: Initiator of the question, Labour MP emphasizing reform significance.\n- Main Argument: Advocated for transparency and highlighted the bill's passage as progressive.\n- Quotes & Keywords: "Increase transparency," "mandate for reform."\n- Position & Terminology: Against hereditary legislative rights, calling for modernization.\n\nNick Thomas-Symonds (Labour, Torfaen):\n- Role & Position: Respondent in support of Billington, Labour position.\n- Key Statements: Emphasized removing reserved positions by "accident of birth."\n- Quotes & Keywords: "Modern legislature," "Get that Bill on to the statute book."\n- Legislation: Emphasized passing significant reform quickly.\n\nOther Potential Speakers:\n- Not explicitly detailed in the transcript; assumed questioning phase limited to Labour Party responses.\n\nThe detailed interrogation of the reform in these proceedings shows a concentrated effort by Labour MPs to press for accountability and push reforms aiming to modernize the legislature. Parliamentary procedure and political stances are crucial for understanding these dialogues and their implications on future timelines and policy changes in the House of Lords.

Key Contributions

Original Transcript

Ms Polly Billington

East Thanet

Lab

Question

UIN: 901653

18. What recent progress his Department has made on reform of the House of Lords.

The Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

Nick Thomas-Symonds

The Government have brought forward the House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill as an immediate first step in reform. That will remove the right of hereditary peers to sit and vote in the House of Lords.

The Bill passed this House unamended and will have its Second Reading in the other place next week.

In addition, I am proud to announce today that I have laid a written ministerial statement that will ensure that political parties nominating people for peerages in the other place will now have to publish, alongside the nomination, a 150 word summary as to why they are putting that person forward.

That is another reform that this Government are proud to announce as part of our wider agenda.

Ms Billington

10:09

I welcome my right hon. Friend’s response, particularly the fact that it will increase transparency for the other place.

Does he agree that we have a mandate for reform, and while respecting the individuals, we are absolutely determined as a Government to progress the abolition of the hereditary principle in lawmaking?

Nick Thomas-Symonds

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. It just should not be the case, in a modern legislature, that there are places reserved for people by accident of birth. The Bill has now passed this House unamended. As I have indicated, it will now go before the other place for Second Reading next week.

We want to get that Bill on to the statute book as soon as possible.

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