Lord Taylor of Warwick and Lord Hanningfield have been suspended from the House of Lords for abusing their parliamentary expenses.

The pair, who have both served time in prison, will be banned from the Lords for 12 months and nine months respectively.

Their suspensions were approved by peers on Wednesday without a vote, following a recommendation from the Lords Privileges and Conduct Committee.

But there is nothing to stop the two men returning to the red benches to scrutinise legislation once their suspension is complete, despite having been convicted of a criminal offence.

In interview with the Daily Telegraph Lord Taylor said he felt he still had "a role to play" and "something to contribute".

“I’m sure there will be critics who will say, 'How dare he show his face again in the House of Lords’. But when there is a debate about prison reform most of them will be talking from theory, I’ll be talking from practice," he said.

Lord Taylor was sentenced to a year in prison for fraudulently claiming more than £11,000. While Lord Hanningfield was jailed for nine months after he was found to have illegally claimed £13,379.

But both were let out early having only served a quarter of their sentences inside, although the pair both had to wear electronic tags.