Eileen Paisley, Trimble new peers

David Trimble is to become a life peer

Former UUP leader David Trimble and Ian Paisley's wife Eileen are to enter the House of Lords, it is understood.

They are to be joined by two other DUP politicians as working peers. The official announcement is on Tuesday.

In future Mrs Paisley is expected to be known as Baroness Paisley of St George's after the ward which elected her to Belfast City Council in 1967.

The DUP Lord Mayor of Belfast, Wallace Browne, and the party's chairman Maurice Morrow, also become life peers.

The three DUP peers will be the first from their party to enter the House of Lords.

The list of party political "working peers" had been delayed after an independent appointments commission blocked the appointment of four potential peers who had donated or lent money to the Labour Party.

The four later withdrew their nominations. The new peers were put forward by party leaders.