Peers jailed for a year should be banned from parliament, says Lord Hanningfield (who was jailed for 9 months)

"I don't see myself having a local government role, I do see myself being involved in Essex."

Lord Hanningfield said he supported rule changes which could see peers banned from the upper house if convicted of a crime leading to a prison term of more than 12 months.

He said: "People who have been convicted and sentenced to more than a year could be debarred from parliament.

"It wouldn't perhaps stop them from standing again later on once you've paid your debt back to the public."

He returned to the House of Lords in April after paying back £30,254.50 the standards commissioner said was wrongly claimed.

The convicted peer was released on licence - with a tag - last September.