A call by the Bishop of Oxford for a reduction in the number of Church of England bishops in the House of Lords has won the backing of the leader of the House of Lords.

Lord Williams of Mostyn said in an interview with political web site ePolitix.com that he was keen to see other faiths represented in the House.

He backed a proposal from the Bishop of Oxford, the Rt Rev Richard Harries, for a reduction in the number who sit in the second chamber from 26 to 16.

The idea is at odds with the view of the Church of England, which warned against it in its submission to the Royal Commission on Lords reform.

The Church did, however, acknowledge the need for a broader faith representation.

Lord Williams, who replaced Baroness Jay as leader after the General Election, was asked if he was keen to see representatives of other Christian churches and other faiths in the Lords.

He replied: "I personally am very keen since I have an interest in it.

"I am a baptised and confirmed member of the Church in Wales which, having been established in the early 1920s, has no direct representation in the Lords."

Lord Williams said the Bishop of Oxford had "enormous quality" and was "very highly respected".

He said he favoured his approach to reform of the Bishops' benches in the Lords.