§ Mr. Gordon PrenticeTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs if the Secretary of State will direct the House of Lords Appointments Commission to disqualify applicants for a people's peerage who are(a) knights, (b) dames and (c) other holders of a peerage. [138511]
§ Mr. LeslieThe Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs has no power to direct the current House of Lords Appointments Commission which is an independent non-departmental public body sponsored by the Cabinet Office.
1061WAny British, Irish or Commonwealth citizen over the age of 21 is eligible to be nominated for membership of the House of Lords, and the Appointments Commission assesses all nominations it receives against the criteria which are published on its web-site at www.houseoflords appointmentscommission.gov.uk