Possible expulsions of non-attending peers 2024

[colinp]

The previous iteration of this thread can be found here -  Possible expulsions of non-attending peers 2023 (google.com)

Parliament was prorogued yesterday 24 May thus bringing the session to end ahead of Dissolution next week.  As the session lasted more than 6 months (by just over two weeks) the provisions of s 2 of the House of Lords Reform Act 2014 may be triggered in the case of a peer (not on leave of absence or otherwise disqualified/suspended) who had not attended a sitting of the House during the session.  Such a peer ceases to be a member of the House of Lords unless the House votes otherwise.

According to my records peers who may currently be at risk of expulsion for non-attendance are:

Lord Allen of Kensington (Lab) born 1957 member since 2013

Lord Alliance (LD) b 1932 ms 2004

Lord Archer of Weston-super-Mare (NA) b 1940 ms 1992

Lord Black of Crossharbour (NA) b 1944 ms 2001

Lord Botham (XB) b 1955 ms 2020

Lord Bowness (XB) b 1943 ms 1996

Lord Carter of Barnes (NA) b 1964 ms 2008

Baroness Corston (Lab) b 1942 ms 2005

Lord Darzi of Denham (NA) b 1960 ms 2007

Lord Davies of Oldham (Lab) b 1939 ms 1997

Baroness Eccles of Moulton (Con) b 1933 ms 1990

Lord Elis-Thomas (NA) b 1946 ms 1992

Lord Hameed (XB) b 1941 ms 2007

Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill (XB) b 1953 ms 2022

Baroness Howarth of Breckland (XB) b 1940 ms 2001

Lord Kalms (NA) b 1931 ms 2004

Baroness King of Bow (Lab) b 1967 ms 2011

Lord Levene of Portsoken (XB) b 1941 ms 1997

Lord Mackenzie of Culkein (Lab) b 1940 ms 1999

Duke of Norfolk (Excepted Hereditary) (XB) b 1956 ms 2003

Lord Paul (NA) b 1931 ms 1996

Lord Prescott (Lab) b 1938 ms 2010

Lord Rana (Con) b 1938 ms 2004

Earl of Rosslyn (Excepted Hereditary) (XB) b 1958 ms 1979

Lord Saville of Newdigate (XB) (Law Lord) b 1936 ms 1997

Lord Sugar (XB) b 1947 ms 2009

Lord Taverne (LD) b 1928 ms 1996

Lord Willoughby de Broke (Excepted Hereditary) (NA) b 1938 ms 1986

Lord Leitch would have been on the list but he was granted leave of absence yesterday.

Rather a longer list than normal but we only have 2 months attendance records (Nov/Dec 2023) available.  Some of the names that are not usually on these lists may well have attended this year. The Jan 2024 attendance records will be available around the middle of next month.  Of course this is somewhat unusual in that non-attending peers would only have had two days following the announcement of the General Election to either attend or retire/apply for leave of absence. 

I should stress these are based on records publicly available.  I have checked the voting and speaking records of each peer on Hansard via the Parliament website and also the available members' allowances records  which include records of attendance even when a peer has not claimed an allowance.

[colinp]

The House of Lords website indicates that the following peers have retired:

Lord Saville of Newdigate 20 Jun 2024

Baroness Fritchie  1 Jul 2024

Lord Rana 2 Jul 2024

[David Beamish]

Another retirement is now on the House of Lords website: Lord MacKenzie of Culkein retired today (8 July).

[colinp]

also Baroness King of Bow retired today  9 July 2024

[colinp]

and Lord Archer of Weston-Super-Mare 4 July 2024

[Shachar Raz]

https://members.parliament.uk/member/1775/career Lord Willoughby de Broke has been expelled from the Lords

[Shachar Raz]

This also means there are now 2 upcoming by-elections, one by the Crossbenchers to replace the Earl of Sandwich and one by the Conservatives to replace Lord Willoughby de Broke

[David Beamish]

At the start of business today in the House of Lords, the Lord Speaker announced six expulsions for non-attendance. In addition to Lord Willoughby de Broke they were (all life peers):

Lord Black of Crossharbour

Baroness Corston

Lord Davies of Oldham

Lord Kalms

Lord Prescott

[sven_me...@web.de]

For next time there are few in dager of expulsion. Apart from those on leave of absence the following have not taken the oath:

* Lord Christopher

* Lord Irvine of Lairg

The others who have not voted in this session semm to have all taken it. One of these others, Baroness Sterm is retiring. 

[David Beamish]

According to my records, as well as Lord Christopher and Lord Irvine of Lairg, Baroness Billingham, Lord Bowness and Lord Flight have neither taken the oath nor taken leave of absence.

[sven_me...@web.de]

For all 3 there are 

• No registrable interests or Interests listed. But maybe they don't used the possibility of avoiding it.

[colinp]

David, I have also, rather tentatively, put Lord Barwell on my list.  He was on leave of absence for this session until 13 October and I don't think he has taken the oath.  Do you think he may be at risk of expulsion if he doesn't take the oath or is he OK because of his period of absence?

[David Beamish]

Lord Barwell is not at risk. According to paragraph 1.30 of the Companion to the Standing Orders, the relevant provision of the House of Lords Reform Act 2014 "does not apply to members on leave of absence in respect of any part of the session".

[colinp]

Thank you