Lord Steel's reform bill moves to third reading

Peers have taken part in a debate in the House of Lords (Cessation of Membership) Bill on 13 July 2012.

Lord Steel of Aikwood's proposals would allow voluntary retirement of peers and could impose retirement on those who fail to attend or those who have criminal convictions. Similar proposals have already been debated and passed to the Commons in the previous session.

Peers passed a motion of commitment to discharge the bill - which means it has passed committee stage. There will be no report stage and it will now move to third reading.

Labour's Lord Davies of Stamford said he would withhold his amendment, on members who had been in prison, to ensure that the Lords managed to give the bill a third reading before the summer recess.