Lord Norman Fowler (pictured above) is leading efforts to dramatically reduce the membership of the Lords

The House of Lords should reduce the number of peers who are 'passengers' and contribute little or nothing to politics, Norman Fowler has said.

Lord Fowler – who as Lord Speaker chairs debates in the upper house – insisted the majority of peers are actively involved.

But in scathing remarks, the former Tory cabinet minister said there were cases where new peers decided after a few days they were 'in the wrong place doing the wrong thing'.

Lord Fowler, who has been Lord Speaker for the past two years, is leading efforts to dramatically reduce the membership of the Lords.

With nearly 800 members it is the second largest legislative assembly in the world, after China's National People's Congress. Members of the Lords can claim a £305 tax-free allowance each day just for turning up – even if they do not contribute.

In an interview with The Guardian, Lord Fowler argued the lack of screening of political appointees meant some new arrivals had little idea what to do.

'You do have extraordinary cases where people have come in and after a few days they've come to the conclusion that, actually they're in the wrong place doing the wrong thing, or rather not doing the wrong thing,' he said. 'And the last thing we want in the House of Lords is passengers.'

He said it was 'completely crazy' there was no limit on the numbers in the Lords.

He pointed to the mass creation of life peers under Tony Blair, who created 374, and David Cameron, who ennobled 260. Asked if this vast influx diluted the quality of the Lords, Lord Fowler said: 'It's partly unfair, because there were some good people who came in.

'What I think is fair to say is on that, as with other appointments, there was no process in which they came before a commission and it was explained to a prospective peer what was involved in the job.' Lord Fowler did not name the members of the House of Lords he regards as 'passengers'.

Lord Fowler – who as Lord Speaker chairs debates in the upper house (pictured above) insisted the majority of peers are actively involved

Last year, the Daily Mail reported that lingerie company founder Michelle Mone had attended just 12 per cent of Lords sittings.

Nicknamed 'Baroness Bra' when David Cameron made her a Tory peer, she then pledged to play a full and active role in the Lords.

Baroness Mone (pictured above) was made a Tory peer by David Cameron

But out of 457 sitting days since she entered the House, she attended just 89 up until last June. She spoke in the chamber just three times, including her maiden speech.

Lord Fowler has led efforts to cut numbers by encouraging peers to retire and limiting the number of new arrivals.

'I do think it is completely crazy that we have a system at the moment where the size of the House of Lords is totally open-ended,' he said.

'I know of no assembly in the western world, or any other world for that matter, where there isn't a limit on the numbers. It isn't a revolutionary thing to say.'

A poll last year found that 76 per cent of voters feel peers are 'out of tune with the will of the British people'.

A large majority of them described the House of Lords as an 'outdated throwback'.

Seven in ten voters said there should be fewer peers than the current 780. And eight in ten said too many were cronies or failed politicians.