Peers ‘exploitation’ of depart of absence from House of Lords to be probed

Peers have been accused of “exploiting” the system that enables them to take leaves of absence from the House of Lords

Members can receive ‘depart of absence’ standing if they’re unable to attend the House of Lords as a result of “temporary circumstance”.  But the system will now be scrutinised by Westminster, amid claims it’s being abused

Leave of Absence standing exempts friends from laws which might in any other case see them lose their seat on the crimson benches. Cases would possibly embrace a peer looking for depart of absence for medical remedy, to take care of a member of the family, or to take up a diplomatic or different function. 

 The unelected chamber heard that 38 friends have been presently on depart of absence, of which 18 have been for greater than two years.  Peers have been instructed there are “big question marks” over a few of them.

The issues come amid calls to reform the higher home and cut back its dimension, which has round 800 members.  Senior deputy speaker Lord Gardiner of Kimble, who chairs the Lords Procedure and Privileges Committee, stated: “The committee intends to look further at the leave of absence scheme in the autumn, and I would be happy to talk to any member who had thoughts on how it could be improved.”

Labour former minister Lord Foulkes of Cumnock stated: “I have reason to believe that in one or two cases the leave of absence provision has been exploited in an unfortunate way.”  He argued every case needs to be checked out to make sure the standing isn’t being abused.

Conservative peer Lord Cormack stated: “This House is often criticised due to its dimension. We have trotted out in newspaper leaders and articles that it’s second solely in dimension to the Chinese National People’s Congress, but when one truly appears to be like at this House and research it, the overwhelming majority of labor falls on the shoulders of a comparatively small variety of the 800 or so members.

“It can also be clear, when one appears to be like on the checklist of those that have taken depart of absence, that there are massive query marks over a few of them.  Of course, an envoy, corresponding to our present ambassador in Italy, ought to, with out query, be given depart of absence. We know that when he retires from his diplomatic profession, he’ll be capable of add many smart phrases to our counsel on this place.