PEERS who fail to turn up to debates in the House of Lords would lose their right to sit in parliament under proposals to be debated this week by the upper house.

A private bill put forward by Lord Steel, the former Liberal leader, would permanently ban attendance for peers who fail to turn up at least once in a normal parliamentary session of more than three months.

The proposals, which could see dozens of peers stripped of the right to vote on legislation, are expected to be approved by the Lords although they may be quashed by MPs.

Steel’s bill follows concern among peers that some of their colleagues are treating the Lords, with its dining rooms, tea rooms and bars, as a glorified social club.

“In a modern second chamber I don’t think people can decide to turn up once every two or three years on some issue like bee-keeping that may interest them,” said Steel.

“There is a difference between having an honour and having a job of work in the upper House.”

The bill would also ban peers from working in the Lords, whose 751 members outnumber the Commons by 105, if they take a permanent leave of absence.

The proposals would allow banned peers to keep their titles.

Lord Lloyd-Webber, the impresario and Tory life peer, has one of the poorest attendances of any peer in the country. He attended only four times during the 2005-06 parliamentary year.

A source close to Lloyd-Webber said: “He is a life peer and there is no requirement on him to attend all the sessions, and also 2005-06 was a very busy year for him, as he was involved in the Phantom of the Opera movie. If anything relating to the arts does come up, he does make an appearance, but otherwise he is very busy.”

Lord Heseltine, the Tory peer, did not attend a single session at the Lords during the parliamentary year 2005-06. He said: “I haven’t played a part in the House of Lords, and this is what I choose to do.”

Asked what he thought of Steel’s proposal, he said: “Oh dear. I think this is busybody liberalism, and I don’t agree with busybody liberalism.”

Proposals to ban peers who do not pay tax on all their earnings, including that from businesses abroad, are to be added to the bill by Lord Oakeshott, the Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesman.

He said he backed plans to ban peers who failed to turn up. “Thousands of people, from classroom assistants to hospital consultants, have so much to offer the House of Lords. Peers who don’t turn up should make way for people who will make a contribution,” he said.

An overhaul of the upper house is being discussed between Jack Straw, the minister in charge of Lords reform, and opposition parties. Labour favours a second chamber that is at least 80% elected and wants to include a commitment to this in its next manifesto.

Additional reporting: Abul Taher

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