asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they are aware that 63 hereditary peerages have become extinct since the last creation of such a peerage in 1964; and whether they have considered the constitutional implications of this development.

The figure which my noble friend has given for hereditary peerages which have become extinct since 1964 is correct. Forty of these hereditary peerages were peerages of first creation.The Government are aware of these statistics, but I have nothing to add to the remarks of my right honourable friend the Prime Minister made in another place on 26th November 1979 (