London: Sikh Federation UK, a UK based Sikh body, has said that the House of Lords of the British Parliament should be reformed to bring back some public confidence.
In a released issued yesterday, the Sikh Federation UK said that the size (of House of Lords) should be reduced by introducing a retirement age of 70
“It is beyond believe that peers are not subject to a retirement age. Peers should be subject to a retirement age of 70, bringing them into line with the practice for Law Lords and bishops. If this is seen as too radical an interim measure would be to have a retirement age of 75 or 80”, the statement reads.
The Sikh body has also urged the to cut costs by reducing the number of peers and reducing the £300 tax-free daily allowance of peers living in London.
“A retirement age of 70 would greatly reduce costs. A further step that could be taken to reduce costs further is to reduce the attendance grant worth up to £300 a day for peers who live in London who clearly do not need to pay for accommodation costs when in London” the Sikh Federation UK said.
It further said that attempts should be made to improve public confidence by avoiding or limiting peerages for large party donors and ensuring better representation for those who are presently under represented in Parliament.
“Any new peers should not include large party donors. This would prove to be a major mistake in terms of public confidence. New peers should be individuals with proven skills and experience that will be an asset in the Lords. The introduction of a retirement age would allow for a number of new peers to ensure better representation”, said Sikh Federation UK.