Jack Straw proposes new rules for peers
Sunday, 1 February 2009 12:00 AM
Justice secretary Jack Straw is looking into proposals which could see peers expelled from the House of Lords.
The move comes after four peers were embroiled in a corruption scandal which saw them discuss payment in exchange for facilitating amendments to laws.
Justice secretary Jack Straw would like to change the rules to force peers to declare that they were residents of the UK to prevent them from not paying tax under non-domicile rules. Mr Straw is also looking to expel Lords who are jailed for more than a year.
Mr Straw's spokesman told the Sunday Telegraph: "Jack will be talking to ministers in the weeks ahead to see how we can do some of these things. The fact that there is a general sense of dismay at some of the things that have emerged means that people will want to examine this and do what they can about it."
The paper also reports that Commons Leader Harriet Harman was also looking into measures that would prevent MPs from taking up lucrative private sector positions. Such proposals include limiting pay from outside positions to 15 per cent of a peer's salary and even bans on Lords taking up certain positions.
Yesterday, the Times released a video of Lord Truscott speaking to undercover reporters about how he could assist them in securing changes to the law.
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