Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government when they expect the House of Lords Appointments Commission next to recommend new Crossbench Peers; and what assessment they have made of the need to maintain a breadth of non-party-political expertise in the House.

The Government values the vital role played by independent Crossbench peers in the House of Lords and recognises the breadth of expertise and experience they bring.

Any decision on whether and when to grant the House of Lords Appointments Commission an allocation is a matter for the Prime Minister. Future appointments will be announced in the usual way.