Proposed Attendance and Retirement Rules for House of Lords Peers
Peers who do not attend the House of Lords regularly may face removal from Parliament under new proposals put forward by a dedicated committee.
As part of its 2024 manifesto, the Labour government committed to introducing a retirement age and participation requirements for members of the upper chamber. Subsequently, the House of Lords Retirement and Participation Committee was established to provide recommendations on how to implement these changes.
In its report published on Wednesday, the committee recommended a phased introduction of a retirement age set at 80 years and a minimum attendance requirement of 20% of sitting days for members.
Committee chair Baroness Taylor of Bolton described the proposal as a "practical solution" that would secure the "continued effective functioning of the House".
The BBC has requested an official response from the government regarding the committee's recommendations.
Concerns about the size of the House of Lords have persisted for many years. Currently, the chamber comprises 774 members, making it one of the largest upper parliamentary houses worldwide.
Earlier this year, the membership was slightly reduced when 92 hereditary peers—those who inherit their seats—were removed. However, 15 of these hereditary peers were subsequently granted life peerages, allowing them to remain.
Retirement Age and Phased Implementation
The committee recommended that the new retirement age of 80 should apply to all current members
"without exception".
To prevent a sudden large-scale departure of peers, the committee suggested a gradual phase-in of the retirement threshold. Under the proposals, the maximum retirement age would be set at 85 from 8 July 2029, decreasing by one year annually until it reaches 80 by July 2034.
Newly appointed members would be required to agree in writing to retire upon reaching their 80th birthday.
Attendance Requirements
Currently, peers must attend the House of Lords at least once during a parliamentary session. The committee stated this requirement is
"too low and reform is necessary", recommending an increase to a minimum attendance of 20% of sitting days, averaged over two sessions.
Parliamentary sessions vary in length, but over the past decade, the average has been approximately 170 sitting days per session.
The committee acknowledged that
"short-term absences may arise without notice in cases of emergency or on compassionate grounds"and emphasized that such circumstances should be considered to avoid unfair penalties for members who fail to meet the attendance threshold.
Impact on Membership
A House of Lords briefing estimated that by July 2029, 301 life peers would be aged over 80, highlighting the potential scale of the impact of the retirement age policy.
Hereditary peers have expressed concerns regarding the possibility of being removed from Parliament under these new rules.
Recent legislative changes have already seen hereditary peers removed as a bill passed earlier this year.
These reforms align with Labour's plans to require Lords to retire at 80, aiming to modernize the upper chamber.
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