ALMOST £15 million of UK taxpayers’ cash was spent on unelected peers in the House of Lords last year – coming out to a spend of around £674 for each individual contribution.

The findings on the cost of unelected peers from across the UK were revealed in new analysis conducted by the House of Commons Library.

It found that between August 2020 and July 2021, the total daily allowance and expenses claimed totalled £14.92m.

Over that same period there were 22,140 debate contributions made, meaning a cost of £674 per contribution.

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The total claimed in the daily allowance alone was £13.2m, equivalent to £596 for every contribution.

SNP MP Pete Wishart said: “The unelected House of Lords is a permanent stain on our democracy.

“Taxpayers up and down the country will rightly feel aggrieved that their taxes are being spent – in ludicrous sums – on an undemocratic, outdated system.

“Scotland is on a different path to Westminster – we do not believe in the House of Lords and consistently vote in favour of its immediate removal.

The National: House of Lords chamber

Labour promised to abolish the House of Lords 11 years ago yet fail to criticise its role now. The Tories are adamant that it is a good and proper institution, therefore it’s clear that only the SNP stand firmly against it.

“However, whilst under Westminster rule, we will never be able to shake off the chains of an undemocratic system like the House of Lords. Only by achieving independence can we finally rid ourselves of this toxic, undemocratic system once and for all.”

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A recent poll found that a majority of Scots believe the House of Lords should be abolished – with 33% of the view that the chamber should be scrapped completely, compared to the UK average of 22%.

The House of Commons Library analysis found that the median number of contributions from peers was 14, but of the 791 lords, by July 31, 2021, only 597 made one or more contributions, meaning 194 made none.