§ Lord Northbourneasked the Leader of the House:
Whether she was correctly reported in the New Statesman of 6 November to have said that "quite a few of the hereditary Peers are hopeless"; and, if so, which Peers does she consider fall into this category. [HL3823]
§ The Lord Privy Seal (Baroness Jay)Your Lordships' House will understand that I am reluctant to comment on any incomplete statement attributed to me in the press. I have already made clear in the recent debate on reform of this House that the Government fully recognise the valuable contribution to the work of the House made by individual hereditary peers(Official Report), 14 October 1998, H.L. Deb., col. 922). However, it is self-evident that among the whole cohort of hereditary peers, as with any other randomly selected group of people, there are those whose ability to fulfil their role and responsibilities as members of the legislature is plainly less than that of others.