Calls to toughen rules as it is revealed one in 10 peers are paid advisers

Dozens of members of the House of Lords have been paid by commercial companies to give political or policy advice, amid concerns their activities are not being properly regulated.

- Rob Evans Henry Dyer

Analysis by the Guardian shows that more than one in 10 peers have taken payments from businesses such as lobbyists and companies operating in the banking, defence and energy sectors. Peers can earn tens of thousands of pounds a year for such roles.

They include the former Conservative health minister Andrew Lansley and the former Labour home secretary David Blunkett.

The Guardian's analysis found 91 members of the Lords were being paid for their political advice by organisations such as Santander bank, the French arms manufacturer Thales and the British digger-maker JCB.

Peers are valued for their experience, and the House of Lords rules take into account that many continue to work alongside their role in the upper chamber. Unlike MPs, peers are not paid a salary. However, they are entitled to a daily tax-free allowance of £361.

Under these rules, peers can take paid consultancies to give general advice on political issues, current affairs and how parliament works.

To prevent commercial concerns from getting an unfair advantage, peers are not allowed to use their political position to lobby directly for an individual company or business that is paying them.