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House of Lords appointments commission publishes annual report
Issued by the Cabinet Office on behalf of the House of Lords Appointments Commission
The independent House of Lords Appointments Commission today published its annual report for 2006-2007.The Commission recommends non-party political peers and vets political nominees to the House of Lords for propriety.
The Commission made 13 recommendations for non-party-political peers during the year, making a total of 42 since it was set up in 2000.
In an unprecedented move the Commission has taken the decision to highlight the failure of one political nominee, Irvine Laidlaw, to honour a commitment given to the Appointments Commission to become UK tax resident from April 2004.
In 2005 the Commission changed its vetting policy and now declines to vet any nominee who is not already UK tax resident.
Copies of the report and further information about how the Commission carries out its work are available at http://www.lordsappointments.gov.uk
Notes to Editors
1. Further information on the Appointments Commission can be obtained from http://www.lordsappointments.gov.uk
2. The Appointments Commission is a non-statutory advisory body set up by the Prime Minister to make recommendations for non-party-political peerages. The Commission's remit is to find people of distinction who will bring authority and expertise to the House of Lords. The Commission recommends individuals on merit and their ability to contribute effectively to the work of the House.
3. During spring 2004, the Commission vetted a list of party-political nominees. One of the individuals on the list, Irvine Laidlaw (now Lord Laidlaw of Rothiemay), was not resident in the UK for tax purposes. Following an exchange of correspondence and a face-to-face meeting, the Commission accepted an assurance from Lord Laidlaw that he would become resident in the UK for tax purposes from April 2004. On the basis of this assurance the Commission found no objection to his appointment. The Commission would have taken a different view on Lord Laidlaw's nomination if it had known that he would not be resident in the UK for tax purposes from April 2004. In June 2004 he was appointed to the House of Lords. Lord Laidlaw has not become resident in the UK for tax purposes. The Commission has drawn the Prime Minister's attention to the situation.
4. The Commission vets nominations for peerages - including those by the political parties - for propriety. The Commission takes the view that in this context propriety means: first, the individual should be in good standing in the community in general and with particular regard to the public regulatory authorities; and secondly, the individual should be a credible nominee. The Commission's main criterion in assessing this is whether the appointment would enhance rather than diminish the workings and the reputation of the House of Lords itself and the appointments system generally. The Commission plays no part in selecting or assessing the suitability of those nominated by the political parties, which is a matter for the parties themselves. It does not have a right of veto over any party-political nominee and it does not decide whether or not individuals should be recommended for appointment. Its role is to advise the Prime Minister if it has any concerns about the propriety of a nomination.
5. The membership of the Commission was announced by the Prime Minister on 4th May 2000. The Chairman, Dennis Stevenson, is a crossbench peer. The Commission comprises two other non-party political members: Angela Sarkis and Felicity Huston. These three members were selected through open competition. The Commission also includes three members nominated by the three main political parties: Baroness Brenda Dean of Thornton-le-Fylde (Labour), Lord Douglas Hurd of Westwell (Conservative) and Lord Navnit Dholakia (Liberal Democrat). Commission members were re-appointed by the Prime Minister for a further 18 months from January 2007, pending further discussion of Lords reform.
