New Clause 7 — Variation in limit of number of holders of Ministerial offices

Part of Speaker's Statement – in the House of Commons at 9:30 pm on 25 October 2010.

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Photo of David Heath David Heath The Deputy Leader of the House of Commons 9:30, 25 October 2010

I will let the hon. Gentleman into a secret: I am not the Prime Minister. It is the Prime Minister who makes appointments. I am simply saying that I do not think we would improve the present position by putting more Ministers in the House of Lords. In the last Parliament, members of the Cabinet-Secretaries of State in charge of Departments-were in the House of Lords, and we had no way of holding them to account. That was an affront to this elected House, and I am pleased that we have put it right.

Let me explain why I cannot support the new clause, although I have a degree of sympathy with the view of Mr Walker.