Some peers 'contribute absolutely nothing'

A former Speaker of the House of Lords has claimed that many peers contribute "absolutely nothing" to Parliament - despite claiming their full £300 daily allowance.

Baroness D'Souza made the comments in an interview for a BBC documentary to be broadcast on Monday 27 February.

A House of Lords spokesman said the chamber was "active and effective", and peers can be suspended if they claim allowances without doing any work. Political correspondent Tom Bateman reports.