The UK Parliament is set to introduce stricter attendance rules for Members of the House of Lords, as part of a major overhaul aimed at making the institution more efficient. Under new proposals, peers who fail to attend at least 20% of sitting days could be removed from Parliament, while a mandatory retirement age of 80 would also be introduced.
The recommendations come from the House of Lords Retirement and Participation Committee, chaired by Baroness Taylor of Bolton, which argues that the changes are necessary to ensure the continued effective functioning of the House. The committee's report suggests introducing a phased retirement age, with the maximum age set at 85 from July 2029 gradually reducing to 80 by July 2034.
The proposed attendance requirement would be an increase on the current rule, which requires peers to attend the House of Lords at least once per parliamentary session. The committee deemed this threshold "too low" and suggested averaging the new requirement over two sessions, which could equate to around 34 days of attendance per year. Exceptions for short-term absences due to emergencies or compassionate grounds would be considered.
The size of the House of Lords has long been a source of controversy, with 774 members making it one of the largest upper parliamentary houses globally. A recent reduction saw 92 hereditary peers removed earlier this year, although 15 subsequently received life peerages. By July 2029, an estimated 301 life peers would be over the age of 80.
The Labour government has yet to respond officially to the committee's recommendations, but implementing these changes would require legislative action and could significantly alter the composition and working practices of the House of Lords. The proposals aim to address long-standing criticisms regarding the size and engagement of its members, with a view to modernising the institution.