HC Deb 28 February 2001 vol 363 cc713-5W
Mr. Gordon Prentice

To ask the President of the Council what the value was of the interview expenses of applicants for a people's peerage; and how many applicants declined to be reimbursed. [151201]

Mrs. Beckett

All nominees invited for interview will be offered full reimbursement for expenses they incur, although overall costs are not available yet.

I understand, however, that no nominee has stated that he or she will decline reimbursement.

Mr. Gordon Prentice

To ask the President of the Council if she will make it her policy for the application forms of applicants for a people's peerage in future rounds to be deposited in the Library. [151218]

Mrs. Beckett

No. People should be able to make an application to the Appointments Commission in confidence.

Mr. Gordon Prentice

To ask the President of the Council if those selected as people's peers are expected to be broadly representative of the social class and educational background of the population of the United Kingdom. [151203]

Mrs. Beckett

The Government hope that the new method of selecting non-political peers will increase the extent to which the House of Lords is representative of the country as a whole.

Mr. Gordon Prentice

To ask the President of the Council if she will make it her policy to require the House of Lords Appointments Commission to consider and invite for interview applicants for a people's peerage who are or were engaged in a manual occupation. [151204]

Mrs. Beckett

No. The Appointments Commission should make its nominations on the overall criteria set out in its application process.

Mr. Gordon Prentice

To ask the President of the Council if she will make it her policy to require the House of Lords Appointments Commission to request details from applicants for a people's peerage of how many domestic properties they own. [151217]

Mrs. Beckett

No.

Mr. Gordon Prentice

To ask the President of the Council if she will make it her policy to require the House of Lords Appointments Commission to include in its recommendations for people's peerages, in the next round of applications, individuals who live in council or social housing. [151219]

Mrs. Beckett

No.

Mr. Gordon Prentice

To ask the President of the Council if she will list the first part of the postcodes of(a) applicants for a people's peerage and (b) those invited to interview. [151202]

Mrs. Beckett

The Appointments Commission made it clear to applicants that their applications would be treated in confidence.

However, the Commission's website shows the following regional breakdown of applications:

Region Percentage of applicants Percentage of population
South West 9 8
South East 18 14
East Anglia 6 9
London 27 12
East Midlands 6 7
West Midlands 6 9
Wales 4 5
North West 9 12
Yorkshire 4 8
North East 3 4
Scotland 5 9
Northern Ireland 2 3
Other 1 —

Mr. Gordon Prentice

To ask the President of the Council if she will make it her policy to require the House of Lords Appointments Commission to give to rejected applicants for the people's peerage the reasons for their rejection if so requested. [151200]

Mrs. Beckett

No. As stated in the information pack, the Commission does not undertake to provide reasons as to why a nomination has been unsuccessful but it has made clear that nominations will be assessed fairly and consistently against its stated criteria.