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| Straw 'planning Lords overhaul' | Straw 'planning Lords overhaul' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Ministers want a radical overhaul of the House of Lords, including an end to life peerages and quotas for ethnic minorities, a leaked document says. | Ministers want a radical overhaul of the House of Lords, including an end to life peerages and quotas for ethnic minorities, a leaked document says. |
| The Sunday Times said Commons leader Jack Straw had also drawn up proposals for half of all peers to be elected and half appointed. | The Sunday Times said Commons leader Jack Straw had also drawn up proposals for half of all peers to be elected and half appointed. |
| The number of peers would also be reduced by a third, it adds. | The number of peers would also be reduced by a third, it adds. |
| The leaked proposals come after years of deadlock on the future of Parliament's second chamber. | The leaked proposals come after years of deadlock on the future of Parliament's second chamber. |
| The spokesman for Mr Straw said: "This document is Jack Straw's attempt to facilitate cross-party discussion and that discussion is continuing. It is not government policy." | |
| Increased costs | Increased costs |
| The Sunday Times reports that Mr Straw's ideas are to go to a free vote in the Commons before Christmas. | The Sunday Times reports that Mr Straw's ideas are to go to a free vote in the Commons before Christmas. |
| The plans call for elected peers - who would sit for no longer than three parliamentary terms, a maximum of 15 years - to be paid, rather than claiming allowances, as it currently the case. | The plans call for elected peers - who would sit for no longer than three parliamentary terms, a maximum of 15 years - to be paid, rather than claiming allowances, as it currently the case. |
| This, it is estimated, would mean costs rising from £13.1m to £41.27m a year. | This, it is estimated, would mean costs rising from £13.1m to £41.27m a year. |
| The number of bishops in the Lords would also be cut under the plans. | The number of bishops in the Lords would also be cut under the plans. |
| Mr Straw outlined his suggestions in an 18-page memorandum presented to the cross-party working group on Lords reform earlier this month, it is reported. | Mr Straw outlined his suggestions in an 18-page memorandum presented to the cross-party working group on Lords reform earlier this month, it is reported. |
| In 1999, all but 92 hereditary peers were removed from the Lords. | In 1999, all but 92 hereditary peers were removed from the Lords. |
| But, in 2003, an attempt to complete the reform process collapsed. | But, in 2003, an attempt to complete the reform process collapsed. |
| Seven options, from a fully elected to a fully appointed second chamber, were put forward, but MPs and peers failed to agree on any of them. | Seven options, from a fully elected to a fully appointed second chamber, were put forward, but MPs and peers failed to agree on any of them. |
| The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats want 80% of peers to be elected. | The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats want 80% of peers to be elected. |
| Lib Dem constitutional affairs spokesman Simon Hughes said: "Democracy is worth paying for. | |
| "You cannot justify the Houses of Parliament not having a predominance of elected representatives." |