Elected Lords reform shelved

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Justice Secretary Jack Straw said after cross-party talks, ministers backed a 100% or 80% elected second chamber.

Publishing a reform White Paper, he insisted it had never been the Government's intention to legislate in this Parliament.

Instead the proposals would be put to voters as part of a manifesto commitment at the next general election.

"The White Paper represents a significant step on the road to reform and is intended to generate further debate and consideration rather than being a final blueprint for reform," he told the Commons.

The process of Lords reform, under way since Labour came to office in 1997, became deadlocked last year. MPs voted then for wholly or mainly elected second chamber, while peers backed a fully appointed one.

After cross-party talks in a bid to move the issue on, Mr Straw said a reformed second chamber should be reduced from over 700 members to "not more than 400-450 and maybe less".

Members should serve a single, non-renewable term of 12 to 15 years and be elected either by first-past-the-post or forms of proportional representation.

The Commons would retain primacy in policy and decision making, Mr Straw said. There would be no role for the Bishops in a fully elected chamber, but their representation should continue in a mainly elected House, he added, to some protests from Labour backbenchers.

Further discussion was needed on the rights of life peers to sit and vote in a reformed second chamber.