Peers' Age Profile

Lord Geddes

asked the Chairman of Committees:What was the average age on 1 February 1999 of:

(a) those Members of the House who are Life Peers and active hereditary Peers;

(b) Life Peers;

(c) active hereditary Peers; and

what would have been the average age of Members of the House had the House of Lords Reform Bill, as now drafted, been in force on 1 February 1999. [HL977]

If active hereditary Peers are defined as Hereditary Peers who attended at least one-third of the Sittings this Session, then the answers are as follows:

(a) the average age on 1 February of Life Peers and active hereditary Peers was 66 years and 10 months;

(b) the average age on 1 February of Life Peers was 69 years and 0 months; and

(c) the average age on 1 February of active hereditary Peers was 62 years and 0 months.

The average age of Members of the House on 1 February would have been 69 years and 0 months if the Reform Bill, as presently drafted, had been in force then.(Source: House of Lords Information Office.)

Volume 597: debated on Wednesday 10 February 1999