MPs Will Investigate House of Lords Membership, Size, Effectiveness

The new lord speaker, Lord Norman Fowler, speaks in the House of Lords chamber during his first sitting in Parliament, in London, on Sept. 5, 2016. Kirsty Wigglesworth - WPA Pool/Getty Images

A cross-party group of MPs has launched an inquiry into the membership of the House of Lords, its size, and the role of peers.

The Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee (PACAC) will look into how the appointments of peers are carried out and whether the system as a whole can be more effective. In an inquiry, launched on Wednesday, MPs also aim to understand the role and the power of the independent vetting body, the House of Lords Appointments Commission (HOLAC).