SIR – Re the ‘Freudian’ slip by the Welfare Reform Minister over wage rates for the disabled, isn’t the real problem not one of saying the wrong thing at the wrong time but once again the malign influence of the House of Lords undermining our so-called Parliamentary democracy?

Because to most people service as a Minister of the Crown should be preceded by the minister first being elected to the public office of MP so that ultimately they can be held accountable by the electorate.

Instead, we have yet another millionaire who happens to be the pal of a party leader ennobled, if you can call it that, as a life peer in the House of Lords. From there he was made a Minister, thus circumventing the normal democratic process and enabling him to play an important role in Government despite being accountable to no-one.

While the anachronistic House of Lords continues to exist, it is no wonder people have lost confidence in the system and voter turnout gets less and less at each election.

D S Boyes, Upper Rodley Lane, Leeds