Member

There will be 34 fewer Cross-Bench Members after the hereditary Peers depart your Lordships’ House—a full 18% of our membership, shrinking Cross-Bench numbers far more as a proportion of the whole House compared with Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Bishops in particular. Legislating now to encourage the addition of 20 new Cross-Bench Members over five years via HOLAC would allow us at least in part to maintain Cross-Bench numbers as a proportion of the House, which is important. It also would do so without risking an undue increase in the size of the House and therefore remain sensitive to those concerned about overall numbers.