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Conservative Lord Borwick says that he is the father of a son with learning disabilities and is the trustee of a charity which helps deaf people.

He says disabled people face "barriers" which have changed. These days, disabled people are able to drive, whereas 20 years ago disabled people would have been asked "why" would they need to drive a car.

"As barriers have fallen, challenges have appeared," he states, he references the fact that a disabled person recently won Britain's Got Talent.

"Overcoming the challenge is the most difficult thing," he says.

He says he is "impaired" because he is not able to speak foreign languages, while there are apps which now allow people to translate things by pointing a smartphone camera at them.

These apps "take away my fear," he says, adding that "today's problem solvers dream bigger".

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Sir Beranrd Jenkin winds up the debate and says it is a matter over which to agonise. He adds it is an issue about how to attract people into the public service and how not to punish them afterwards.

However, he says that nothing ever appears in the public domain and tells the House that application to the committee should be "transparent".

He concludes that these matters "will be back" unless the government takes action.

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Cabinet Office Minister Chloe Smith says the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments provides "independent and impartial" advice on proposed appointments after an applicant leaves government service.

It is the government's view that the advisory committee fulfills its remit effectively with "professionalism", she says.

Chloe Smith tells the House that the committee is made up of nine knowledgeable individuals independent of government who bring a wealth of experience from the public, private and third sectors.

The minister says that people have a right to "earn a living" after government and that may occur in areas where they have "existing expertise".

She adds there is a balance needed between public confidence and restraint of trade.

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Crossbencher Lord Low of Dalston says that the Equality and Human Rights Commission found that disabled people are facing "more barriers" and are "falling further behind".

Many disabled people still struggle in their daily lives and struggle with housing, education and employment. Welfare reforms have significantly affected the low living standards of disabled people, he adds.

There's evidence of "grave and systematic" violation of disabled people's rights, he says, pointing to a UN report , externalon the matter.

Households with one or more disabled members are systematically more affected in their daily lives. Households with a disabled adult have lost £2,000 each year since 2010, while those with a disabled child have lost £6,500, he states.

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Shadow Cabinet Office minister Chris Matheson says that the advisory committee has "no teeth".

He says he wonders if it is "designed" to make a difference and as far as he knows has never refused an appointment.

The minister tells the House that the business rules have no statutory basis and there are no sanctions for non-complaince. They apply for two years after appointment.

He adds that the rules are applied inconsistently.

Chris Matheson says the rules do not differentiate between paid or unpaid appointments.

Labour welcomes the work of the select committee.

He concludes that by "failing to act" or being "unable to act" the advisory committee highlights how current arrangement are "simply not working"

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Sir Bernard Jenkin says the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee's role is to oversee the UK's changing constitution.

The chair says that this includes the work of the Advisory Committee on business appointments.

He says the business rules are procedural and do not make explicit when and how former officials can legitimately make use of their prior experience.

He tells the House that the system remains "ineffective" and "fails to command public confidence".

Sir Bernard says to restore public trust, it is "crucial" to "stamp out impropriety" by senior government ministers and officials and also the "appearance of impropriety".

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Crossbencher Baroness Masham of Ilton says that there are a number of different and complex conditions which disabled people suffer from. She requests that the government makes forms for those claiming disability benefits as simple as possible.

Disabled people "need helpful and clear legislation" or else "they will not be able to live independently".

So many accidents happen with long term injuries which can paralyse people, patients may have to contend with getting suitable housing, schools, learning to drive again and workplace changes, she states.

She asks if new buildings would be available for rent and adapted for disabled people. In Australia, she states, the government has a programme where buildings are specifically built for disabled people to rent.

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Liberal Democrat Baroness Brinton says that in the past few years, over half of disabled people feel things have got tougher, as well as the families of these people.

She states that 53% of people know that there are plans in their local area to reduce social care for children.

Local authorities are overspending their social care budgets, she states, adding that there needs to be more guidance given from government on children's palliative care.

Are too many Westminster insiders being appointed to top jobs in powerful public organisations, such as the Bank of England or the BBC?

The Conservative MP Damian Collins, chair of the Culture Committee, says the field is dominated by former ministers and party officials.

Kristiina Cooper reports.

You can hear more from Today in Parliament at 11.30pm on Radio 4.

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The second debate of this afternoon is on the effectiveness of the Advisory Committee on business appointments.

The Public Administration Select Committee recently published a report recommending appointment rules should be "fundamentally" changed.

The committee further stated that "the regulatory system for scrutinising the post public employment of former ministers and civil servants is ineffectual and does not inspire public confidence or respect".

The government said in response to the report that it was committed to maintaining the "highest standards" of conduct for ministers and civil servants, including special advisers.

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Neil Parish says this house is at its "best" when it work cross-committee and cross-party.

The Environmental Committee Chair says that the House must tackle air quality to improve the quality of life for the rich and poor alike.

Mr Parish says the planning system for roads and housing must take into account the quality of air.

He says we must concentrate on walking, transport, bikes and all the ways the issue can be made "right".

The Environment Committee Chair ends his contribution by remarking we "will make a difference" and "must make a difference."

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The new Bishop of London, Dame Sarah Mullally, is making her maiden speech in the Lords.

She says she became a Christian as a teenager, so becoming a nurse was a "vocation" for her. Later, she was Director of Nursing and then an NHS board member. She is a "passionate supporter of the NHS" as it has touched her life "in many ways".

The diocese of London serves four million, it is "multicultural" and "multifaith". It is also a city "of inequality and deprivation" and, referencing Grenfell Tower, she says it is a city where people can often feel "ignored".

She states her intentions to be a Bishop "for London" and not just "of London".

In the UK, one in five of the population has a disability of some sort, she states, and churches, as well as society, "need to up their game" in being welcoming to different sections of society, as well as the disabled.

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Conservative Lord Shinkwin says it is important to acknowledge the "generosity of the great British taxpayer" from those who help people like him with a disability.

He says that government spending on disability is the second highest in the G7, at 2% of GDP.

He says that enforcing rules on treatment of disabled people would "boost" their spending power, and he asks for the government to improve opportunity for those who are disabled.

He adds that any government could spend more on benefits, but that is not the only challenge facing disabled people. He states that the recent changes in Ireland will make it easier for non-disabled people to terminate pregnancies where an unborn child is diagnosed as disabled.

Equality "has now become so distorted" that it favours a particular able-bodied group of people, he states.

"Our very survival is under threat," he finishes.

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Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Minister David Rutley says that the government has an "active" programme to tackle the issue.

The government published its 25 year environment plan with the aim of being the first generation to leave the environment in a "better state" than they found it.

The minister says that air pollution has reduced "significantly" since 2010 but the message that more needs to be done has come across "loud and clear" in the debate.

Mr Rutley says the government has committed £3.5bn in funding for clearer air and clean transport.

He tells the house that only six countries in the world are moving more quickly than the UK on ending petrol and diesel transport.

The government will engage with select committees in the months ahead.

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Labour's spokesperson Luke Pollard says that the crisis has brought cross-party support and that the government has been "too slow" to take action over air quality.

He says poor air quality causes cancer asthma and heart disease. He adds around 13 people have died because of poor air quality during the course of the debate.

Mr Pollard says that the government has had to be "dragged" through the courts and has failed three times on air quality.

He informs the House that a freedom of information request has revealed £500,000 has been spent "dirty" air court causes.

The Labour MP adds the UK is not "doing enough" to modernise the transport sector and the UK is on track to miss legally binding targets.

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Conservative Lord Holmes of Richmond says in terms of opportunities, disabled people often do not know what is available for them.

"Many, many opportunities, who knows about them?" he asks, adding that he is undertaking a review on disabled people working in public appointments.

He says that just because he has a guide dog, he can be excluded from restaurants, bars or cabs.

"When you experience discrimination, it is not a cerebral experience, you feel it in your heart, and you feel it in your guts," he states.

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Philippa Whitford tells the House that traffic pollution has soared in the last 50 years and 70% of towns and cities are defined as being unsafe.

The SNP health spokesperson says a third of children are exposes to unsafe level of air pollution and that can cause respiratory problems and if exposed before they are born, brain development problems.

She informs the House that for older people, poor air quality increases the deterioration of lung function as well as increasing dementia and stroke.

Dr Whitford says that the "can" has been "kicked...down the road" and countries are facing legal action from the EU unless they "get serious" about air quality.

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The Lords are now turning their attention to their final debate of the day, on the challenges facing disabled people in the UK in 2018.

Liberal Democrat Baroness Thomas of Winchester says she met a man in hospital earlier this year who told her that his care package had been reduced, and had been told by people "can't your girlfriend help you?".

She adds that she is not calling for full reinstatement of the Independent Living Fund, but that there should be more funds available.

She asks for the minister to take note of disabled people "who do not want their lives to go backwards".

She says that disabled people have a "myriad" of different problems, but that one thing united them all, which is that being disabled is very expensive.

She asks if there will be enough carers after Brexit, enough accessible workplaces and suitable toilets.

The lack of accessible toilets up and down the country "is a disgrace", she states.

MPs refer the case of former Vote Leave chief Dominic Cummings to the privileges committee after his refusal to appear before a Commons committee.