2. 'Review of parliamentary pay and allowances', Report No. 48, Volume 2, published in March 2001 by the Review Body on Senior Salaries, chaired by Sir Michael Perry, CBE.

Appendix 4
House of Lords
Role Profile
Specialist backbench peers


Purpose:
To bring specialist professional or sectoral experience to the House to improve legislation, vote on it, and promote well informed debate about relevant policy more broadly.

Principal Activity Areas

1. Contribute to debates on legislation within the recognised specialist areas and vote on it to ensure high quality decision making.

2. Lobby ministers and frontbenchers whenever appropriate to explain problems within the specialist area and promote solutions to them.

3. Network actively with colleagues, external contacts and interest groups within the specialist area to maintain up to date knowledge and influence current trends.

4. (In many cases) Contribute to public life outside the House of Lords through membership of / participation in a wide variety of fora, ranging from Royal Commissions through non-departmental Governmental bodies to specialist 'think tanks'

5. (In some cases) Serve as an acknowledged advocate for identified interest groups, networking as necessary with like-minded peers to provide an effective ' voice' in parliament.

6. (In some cases) Contribute to the work of the House through membership of specialist committees, such as the Science and Technology Committee, to give depth to their work and reports.

7. Attend the House as necessary to vote on any legislation where a strong personal view is held.

Members of this group bring to the House of Lords eminence in public life or business, a nationally recognised professional or specialist Background, or, in a few cases, a recognised 'representative role' for a Charity or other interest group. Individuals may be former public servants or retired leaders of the Armed Forces: be the present or former leaders of prominent public companies: carry authoritative professional credibility in specific areas: or - more in the future than in the present - be chosen from a wide variety of individuals who have contributed to public life as local as well as national level.

These members tend to contribute actively to the House only when they have something worthwhile to offer, which would normally, of course, be around their specialist subject areas. As such their attendance may well vary quite considerably according to what is currently topical. But their interventions, when made, are expected to be authoritative and substantial preparation may well be required.

Many Members of this group lead a 'portfolio life' involving a range of paid and unpaid activities. These will often draw on their specialisms but are otherwise not necessarily connected to their membership of the House of Lords.

These Members are usually although not always Crossbenchers. They may depend quite heavily on the Convenor of the Crossbenchers and his systems to keep up with developments in the House.