The government is in favour of turning the House of Lords into a full-time professional chamber, according to today's Times.

The paper, which says it has seen a memo from leader of the Lords, Lord Williams, reports that the modernisation plans include the introduction of a red light which would flash in the chamber when a peer has been talking too long.

The plans would also mean new sitting hours, with frontbench spokesmen required to attend from 11.00am on Thursday with a guaranteed rising time of 7.00pm.

A Grand Committee would meet from 10.00am on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays to scrutinise legislation, while Thursdays would be reserved for debates.

Ministers would also face questions for an hour, rather than the current 30 minutes.