Michael Gove has said Sunderland "could be a wonderful new home" for the House of Lords during Parliament's renovation.
The Levelling Up Secretary's comments came as the city council backed a plan to move the second chamber out of London while the Palace of Westminster is revamped.
In a letter to Mr Gove, council chief executive Patrick Melia said Sunderland was the "ideal" location for peers.
He said: "Sunderland is the ideal location to house the Lords during this period given our status as a poster city for levelling up, our proud history and excellent local facilities."
Mr Gove, tweeting a copy of the letter, said: "Fantastic to receive a letter from Sunderland City Council welcoming potential relocation of the House of Lords to the city. Sunderland - like Stoke - is a great example of levelling up in action and could be a wonderful new home for their Lordships."
Peers have criticised the plan however, with the Lord Speaker branding the separation of Parliament's two houses "highly questionable".
In a letter to peers, Lord McFall said the Lords' law-making role was "indivisible" from that of the House of Commons, the lower chamber, where MPs sit.
"Whilst I agree with the secretary of state that politics can be too London-centric, I don't believe moving locations in and of itself would address these concerns," he wrote.
A parliamentary commission is expected to make proposals for the restoration of Parliament later this year. MPs have already voted to accept the principle of vacating the Commons during restoration work, but issues such as the rising projected cost have provoked a backlash and uncertainty remains over where MPs and Lords will move to.
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