The report by Ms Pietikainen said women's representation in the European Parliament had risen to 35% and in the EU Commission the representation of women "is stagnating at one-third".

BBC: Euro MPs back quotas to get more women into top jobs

"I am particularly pleased that the Appointments Commission was keen to increase representation in the field of music and the arts, " he continued.

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The European Commission is currently without a boss for its representation in London.

ECONOMIST: European politics

That is followed by a series of short debates led by backbench peers - Labour's Lord Campbell-Savours leads a debate on the implications for political representation and democracy of the proposals of the Parliamentary Boundary Commission.

BBC: Week ahead