CABINET OFFICE News
Release (HoL 7/06) issued by The Government News Network on 7 June 2007
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.