HOUSE OF COMMONS LONDON SW1A 0AA Dr Kim Howells MP Minister of State for the Middle East é& the Americas, Foreign & Commonwealth Office 27" September 2007 Mr Jonathan Bishop 8 Heol y Pare Bfail Isat PONTYPRIDD CF38 1AN Dear Mr Bishop, T enclose, for your information and observations, a copy of the reply which I have received from the authorities in relation to the matter that you raised. Best wishes, Yours sincerely, DR KIM HOWELLS Member of Parliament for Pontypridd y Address: 16 Tylica Road, Pontypridd CF37 2DA Tel: 01443 402551 Fax: 01443 485628Maria Eagle MP Ministry of Sceretary ofa 3 JUSTICE Sree London SW1E 6QW- ‘T 020 7210 0773 F 0207210 0847 E general. queries @justice.gsi.gov.uk www.justice.gov.uk Dr Kim Howells MP Huntice.gov. House of Commons London SW1A OAA Our reference: 168555 2s September 2007 ac aur, Mr Jonathan Bishop, 8 Heol-y-Pare, Efall leaf, Pontypridd, CF38 1AN Thank you for your letter of 23 July enclosing Correspondence from Mr Bishop on House of Lords reform. | am replying as duty minister for the department during the Parliamentary ‘summer recess Mr Bishop has written previously on the issue of indirect election to a reformed second chamber. | enclose a copy of that correspondence. On 3 July the Prime Minister contirmed the Government's commitment to completing House of Lords reform in his statement on the Green Paper on constitutional reform; The Governance of Britain, The Paper can be viewed at: www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/om71/71 70/71 }70.asp We will enact the will of the House of Commons and will develop reforms for a substantially or wholly elected second chamber. Jack Straw, the Justice Secretary, outlined the Government's approach to further reform in a statement before Parliament on 19 July. These reforms will be based on the principle that the House of Commons is the primary chamber and that an elected House of Lords should complement the House of Commons and not be a fival to it, Jack Straw will continue to lead the cross party talks to discuss the outstanding elements of the reform package, Including the electoral systems and we aim to publish a further White Paper around the tum of the year. | enclose a copy of this letter for you to pass on to Mr Bishop should you wish to do so. Rest Wishes, Mo MARIA EAGLE MP