The Government has come under renewed pressure to set up a constitutional convention in the light of the independence referendum in Scotland.

Peers from across the House of Lords, which was meeting for its first normal day of business since Scotland voted last month to stay part of the United Kingdom, called for a wide-ranging inquiry into the future of the Union.

Lord Foulkes of Cumnock, a former Scottish MP, said: "Before the recess again and again and again I raised the issue of setting a UK constitutional convention and ministers equivocated again and again and again and surely it is the time now for action.

"If the three party leaders can get together to sign a vow, surely they can get together to set up a UK constitutional convention to work in parallel with what is being done for Scotland."

Liberal Democrat Lord Sharkey called for assurances that a constitutional convention would be considered.

And Plaid Cymru peer Lord Elis-Thomas said the Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones had "consistently called for a proper constitutional convention".

He demanded: "Will the Government now heed his call?"

Lord Wallace of Saltaire, speaking for the Cabinet Office, said: "We have heard these calls and we are currently considering and we will wish to proceed as far as possible on an all party basis."

He told peers: "A constitutional convention is one of the many ideas out there that will clearly be discussed, but we need to take these things as fast as possible - but not in a hurried way."

And he said that even if a constitutional convention was agreed, it would leave "a great deal to be discussed about what sort of convention, how it would be constituted, which are also issues which we need to consider".

Labour former home secretary Lord Reid of Cardowan said the referendum had raised questions about "what it meant to be British in the 21st century".

He called for assurances that the timetable outlined by the party leaders for further devolution would be kept.

"It is absolutely crucial that is no ground on which anyone can accept bad faith," he said.

Lord Wallace said the timetable would be followed. "We are observing it and intend to continue to observe it," he said.

Tory Lord Cormack warned: "Would you accept that the biggest danger to the Union would be to encourage rampant English nationalism?"

Lord Wallace said he "entirely" agreed.