‘2 out, 1 in’ plan to cut the Lords to just 600

NEW peers should be appointed only if two others have died or retired, according to a major report on shrinking the size of the House of Lords.

A review by the Lord Speaker said the size of the upper chamber must be cut by a quarter if it is to earn the public’s confidence. This would mean that, for the first time, the size of the House would be capped at 600 – and all new peers would have to retire after 15 years.

All new political peers would also be appointed in proportion to the previous election result.

But the plan, outlined by Lord Fowler, the Lord Speaker, can only work if the Prime Minister and all political parties agree to limit their numbers. That would require about 50 Tories and 40 Labour peers voluntarily agreeing to retire by 2022.

And the plans would actually increase the power of privilege in the Lords because it says the number of hereditary peers should remain the same – increasing their proportion over time as the House shrinks.

Lord Fowler said the reforms, to cut costs and raise the quality of new peers, were vital to ‘build public confidence’ in the Lords.

Unless reforms are made soon, current trends mean the House of Lords will rise from 824 now to 1,000 within 25 years.

Lord Fowler said: ‘With over 800 members, about 150 more than the Commons, we are too large. The time has now come to take action to correct this.’