§ Andrew MackinlayTo ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 11 July 2001,Official Report,column 566W, which peers created since 2 May 1997 were working peers; and which were not. [4369]
104W
§ The Prime Minister[holding answer 16 July 2001]:All peers are appointed in the expectation that they will make a valuable contribution to the work of the House of Lords.
§ Andrew MackinlayTo ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to distinguish formally between those peers that(a)were and (b)were not ennobled through the Appointments Commission. [4368]
§ The Prime Minister[holding answer 16 July 2001]: None. All peers have the same status. With the exception of peerages created to enable individuals to serve as Ministers, all recommendations that I make to the Queen are referred to the House of Lords Appointments Commission for scrutiny. This includes all recommendations from leaders of political parties, and a very limited number of recommendations for holders of high public office. The decision on whether to recommend candidates in these last two categories rests with me, unlike those non-political recommendations proposed by the Commission itself, which I submit automatically to the Queen.