Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Statement by Baroness Smith of Basildon on 19 June (HLWS717), how the Prime Minister recommending a limited number of candidates to sit as Crossbench peers will differ from the responsibility vested in the House of Lords Appointments Commission to nominate Crossbench peers.

As set out in the written statement, the Prime Minister will continue to ask the House of Lords Appointments Commission to make nominations for individuals to sit as Crossbench peers. The Commission invites applications from the public and assesses candidates against the criteria set out on its website.

It is established practice that the Prime Minister can recommend a limited number of individuals to sit as Crossbench peers, based on their public service, including both distinguished public servants on retirement and individuals with a proven track record of service to the public. These nominations will continue to be vetted for propriety by the House of Lords Appointments Commission.