HL Deb 15 March 1971 vol 316 cc243-5

3.4 p.m.

EARL JELLICOE

My Lords, I beg to move that this Bill be now read a second time. It is, I think, a long-established custom of ours not to debate these Bills which make provision for the Speaker of another place on his retirement. The terms of this Bill are of course, very largely governed by precedent. May I, in introducing it, confine myself to drawing attention very briefly to two points in which this Bill differs from its predecessors?

In the first place, Mr. Speaker King is the first in the long and distinguished line of Speakers since 1832 to be granted a pension of £5,000 in place of the £4,000 which has been customary over that long period—though I should mention, in passing, that Lady Hylton Foster's annuity was calculated on the basis of one-third of £5,000. Secondly, the widow's pension has been calculated at the rate of one-half of Dr. King's pension instead of as previously, at the rate of one-third. I am sure that both these improvements will be welcomed by your Lordships. Indeed, the first might be considered a rather small one given the slight change in the value of the pound since the days of the Reform Bill.

My Lords in another place this Bill signifies a farewell. For us, happily, it provides an occasion to welcome, albeit slightly in advance of his formal Introduction later this month, a most distinguished new Member to your Lordships' House. I am sure that I speak for all your Lordships when I say how much we are looking forward to welcoming Lord Maybray-King here.

Moved, That the Bill be now read 2a.— (Earl Jellicoe.)

LORD SHACKLETON

My Lords, we on this side welcome this Bill. It is certainly not customary to debate it in any controversial sense, but I should like to echo the prospective welcome given by the noble Earl the Leader of the House to Mr. Speaker King. As one who has known him for perhaps 26 or 27 years, and knowing what an active and energetic figure he was, both in local government and in Labour Party politics, I think it is a measure of the quality of the British Parliamentary institutions that he should be recognised as such a balanced and admirable Speaker. It is perhaps worth noting, since he is to come to us, that he is also a very great scholar, as well as a musician. His knowledge of French literature, I remember, was on one occasion rather embarrassing to a friend of mine who thought he was an expert on French literature. Mr. Speaker King has been a very distinguished occupant of that important post, and he will be a welcome addition to your Lord-ships' House.

LORD BYERS

My Lords, the Speaker's task is indeed a thankless and a lonely one, and it is only right that those who survive the strain should have appropriate provision made for their retirement and that they should be allowed the sanctuary of the Upper Chamber. We on these Benches look forward to the Introduction of Lord Maybray-King.

On Question, Bill read 2a: Committee negatived.