For all of the brouhaha about stuffing the Lords, it is interesting to note that, despite what many might think, the number of Peers on the ‘active list’, i.e. not on leave of absence, disqualified or retired, hasn’t increased that much. After all, Peers die, often surprisingly unnoticed. They get old – the average age is already 69 – or sick. But the place definitely seems more crowded, as many Peers noted during the debate on Lords reform last year.

Conveniently, the House of Lords newsletter for members, ‘Red Benches’, has recently published some data which demonstrates what has happened, comparing the figures for the 2007-08 and 2012-13 Parliamentary Sessions.

In that period, the membership of the House increased from 733 to 763 (up 4%), but average daily attendance has increased from 413 to 484 (up 17%), and the average number voting in divisions went up even faster, from 234 to 363 (up 55%). Peers get through more Questions for Short Debate (104 as opposed to 70) and table more Questions for Written Answer (6,706 in 2012-13, 5,814 in 2007-08).

So, why is that? I have four theories;

• The Conservatives have taken the opportunity of new appointments to introduce some much needed new blood. During the Blair years, their benches aged noticeably and older Peers are less likely to attend regularly (although that isn’t always true, as some of the Liberal Democrat Peers have demonstrated).

• The change in the expenses regime has, for London-based Peers, made attendance far more attractive, with the new flat rate per diem (£300 per day) significantly higher than the old level (£125 per day). For those with professional careers in London, the potential loss of earnings caused by attendance is now less significant than it was under the old regime.

• Coalition has meant that votes are more often on a knife-edge. The two Coalition parties risk losing if one or other Party is unhappy about a piece of legislation, Labour are opposed and the Crossbenchers engaged. That means more active whipping, and better attendance.

• More and more appointments made are of ‘working Peers’, i.e. they’re expected to turn up and work, as opposed to the peerage being an honour for services rendered as was sometimes the case in the past.

So, slightly more Peers, working rather harder. Perhaps it’s time we paid them a little more attention…

* Mark Valladares is idly checking the voting statistics for Liberal Democrats Peers since the Coalition began. It’s much more interesting that you might think…