§ Lord Tebbitasked the Leader of the House:
Whether he will publish the statistics upon which he based his claim that Conservative hereditary peers "invariably end up voting with the Conservative Party" (H.L. Deb., 27 January, col. 100).
§ The Lord Privy Seal (Lord Richard)Since the general election on 1 May 1997, there have been 36 divisions in the House. 1,204 Conservative hereditary peers' votes have been cast against the Government: and, as the noble Lord's Chief Whip will doubtless be relieved to know, only 18 Conservative hereditary peers' votes (1.5 per cent.) have been cast against their own front bench, by 10 individuals.
Under the circumstances of the somewhat brisk rhetorical exchange during Starred Questions to which the noble Lord refers, I consider that these figures justify my remark.