MPs and Peers voted on the future make-up of the second chamber

The Joint Committee on Lords Reform says failure to push ahead with Lords reform will leave MPs and peers looking like "willing players in a pathetic Parliamentary farce".

In a report published on 9 May, the Committee responds to the rejection by MPs in February of all the options for reform which it had put forward.

Despite the pessimism which followed the Commons debate, the Committee says "it may yet be possible to agree a broad consensus on the way forward".

Its chairman Jack Cunningham added: "Despite the lack of a majority in the Commons for any one option, the Joint Committee hopes that the momentum for reform can be regained."

The options set out by the Committee were debated in both Commons and Lords on Tuesday 4 February.

While the Lords backed a fully appointed House - Tony Blair's preference - the Commons rejected this option by a majority of 78.

Four Cabinet ministers - Charles Clarke, Robin Cook, Patricia Hewitt and Peter Hain - were among those opposing a fully appointed second chamber.

The Government will be issuing a response to the new report from the Joint Committee, but it is unlikely this will happen before the summer.

The background

On 11 December 2002 the Joint Committee on Lords Reform published its proposals for a modernised second chamber.

The Joint Committee was established to broker a compromise after a White Paper, published in November 2001 and proposing a 20% elected element for the Lords, proved unpopular in both chambers.

The Committee, made up of twelve peers and twelve MPs, set out a series of seven options for the future make-up of the Upper House, ranging from fully appointed to fully elected, with various options for electing a proportion of members.

It also set out five qualities which it considered desirable in the make-up of a reformed second chamber: legitimacy, representativeness, no domination by one party, independence, and expertise.

The Committee was also due to look at whether any changes to the powers of the Upper House and the conventions governing its relations with the Commons need to be made.

But after the Commons defeat it seems unlikely that further inquiries will go ahead.

The report said there was broad agreement on the roles, functions and powers of the second chamber: in particular that it should continue to scrutinise and revise legislation.

Aims of Reform Legitimacy Representativeness No domination by one party Independence Expertise

It suggested that the reformed House should comprise about 600 members, and that the term of office of all members should be around 12 years.

The Committee said the membership of the law lords, bishops and other religious representatives would have to be considered once the proportion of elected and appointed members is determined.

It called for an independent inquiry into the judicial function of the House of Lords, which it says is worthy of expert attention.

BBC Parliament will keep you updated as the Lords reform process continues: check this page for the latest stage of the legislation.