HOUSE OF LORDS REFORM

Early day motion 800, tabled 28 February 2005 by David Clelland (Labour). Signed by 34 members.

That this House believes that a partly elected second chamber would be an unsustainable hybrid and would inevitably lead to a fully elected chamber and that an elected second chamber could not guarantee the spread of experience, knowledge, background, gender and ethnicity required for a chamber dedicated to the scrutiny and advisory role hitherto considered appropriate for a reformed House of Lords; further believes that a second chamber should add value to our system of governance and be more representative and more effective and that these qualities can be achieved without producing a whole new batch of elected politicians; and believes that the cobbled together proposals outlined in the recently published Second Chamber of Parliament Bill are a disappointing response to the opportunity that now presents itself.

Signatures by party: Labour 22, Conservative 5, UUP 4, Labour/Co-operative 3.