A significant influx of inexperienced members to the House of Commons is impeding effective scrutiny of new legislation, placing greater responsibility on the House of Lords to uphold parliamentary oversight, according to Lord Lisvane, the former chief clerk of the Commons.

Lord Lisvane, who served in parliament for 42 years and was chief clerk from 2011 to 2014, highlighted concerns following the 2024 general election, which brought 335 new MPs into the House—accounting for 52% of its membership—with no prior parliamentary experience. He noted that the majority of these newcomers lack familiarity with legislative review or mechanisms for holding the government to account.

“This level of inexperience is rare in major national institutions,” Lord Lisvane commented, pointing to the resulting deficiencies in legislative scrutiny in the Commons. He contended that much government legislation proceeds through the lower chamber with minimal challenge, leaving the House of Lords to serve as the primary body conducting detailed examination and providing expert oversight.

His remarks come amid calls from a cross-party group of parliamentarians for the establishment of a commission to explore options for replacing the House of Lords with a reformed chamber led by figures such as Andy Burnham. However, Lord Lisvane argued that focusing exclusively on Lords reform overlooks broader systemic issues within the Commons itself.

He advocated for a comprehensive review of both houses, stressing that improving the Lords without addressing the inexperience in the Commons would fail to enhance democratic accountability effectively. “Focusing solely on the Lords is the wrong target,” he wrote, underscoring the need for reforms that encompass the entire parliamentary system.