An environment minister’s introduction in the House of Lords was interrupted by the Mission: Impossible theme tune.

Robert Douglas-Miller, who was appointed a life peer by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in order to take up his Government post, was about to swear the oath of allegiance to the King when the film’s theme tune began to play from a Labour peer’s phone.

Lord Douglas-Miller wore the traditional scarlet robes for the short ceremony, and was flanked by Government minister Lord Benyon and Tory peer Baroness Fraser of Craigmaddie.

It began to play towards the end of his introduction, but was cut off after several seconds.

Labour peer Lord Woodley later spoke in the chamber, apologising for the interruption to the ceremony.

Lord Woodley, the former joint-general secretary of Unite, told peers: “Could I first of all apologise to the Speaker and particularly to our new lord, Lord Douglas-Miller, for my phone going off?

“I have never been so embarrassed in all my life, I am sincerely sorry.”

Lord Douglas-Miller, 58, is a businessman and landowner, whose family once ran Jenners, a department store in Edinburgh.