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Peers face new attendance rules under proposed House of Lords changes
BBC • • world
Key Points:
- The House of Lords Retirement and Participation Committee has proposed introducing a retirement age of 80 and a minimum attendance requirement of 20% of sitting days for members, aiming to improve participation and manage the size of the chamber.
- The retirement age would be phased in gradually, starting with a maximum age of 85 in 2029 and decreasing to 80 by 2034, with new members agreeing in writing to retire by their 80th birthday.
- Currently, peers must attend at least once per session, but the committee deemed this insufficient and recommended the increased attendance threshold averaged over two sessions, allowing exceptions for emergencies or compassionate reasons.
- The proposals respond to concerns about the House of Lords' large membership, which currently stands at 774, and aim to ensure the chamber's effective functioning by encouraging active participation and timely retirement.
- The government has acknowledged the manifesto commitment to these reforms and will consider the committee's recommendations before issuing a formal response later in the year.
