asked the Leader of the House:Why no statement was made to the House of Lords about future arrangements for determining members of the House before the Cabinet Office issued Press Release CAB 18/00; and when she intends to make a statement on the Government's plans for an Appointments Commission. [HL799]

The Government's plans for future arrangements in determining members of the House of Lords were set out fully in the White Paper Modernising Parliament Reforming the House of Lords (Cm 4183) which was published on 20 January 1999. They were also set out in detail, and extensively discussed, during the debates in the last Session on the House of Lords Act 1999. CAB 18/00 merely announced a stage in a process which had been set out fully on many occasions.