HL Deb 15 July 1837 vol 38 cc1913-4
Lord Brougham

said, that before their Lordships separated he wished to observe that the Committee which, on his motion, had been appointed to take into consideration the state of public and private business in that House had found it necessary to confine their inquiries, and to report on only one branch of the investigation, namely, the private business. Not that the Committee had not entertained the intention of inquiring into the state of the public business, and into the mode in which that state might be improved; but, in consequence of the sudden termination of the Session, it had been felt indispensable to proceed no further than with the one portion of the inquiry on which they had already reported. He hoped that early in the next Session their Lordships would re-appoint the Committee, and he had no doubt that an improvement in the conduct of the public business might be effected equal to that respecting the private business, which had already been suggested by the Committee, and which had been introduced into the standing orders. He would take the opportunity of saying, the Committee of the other House of Parliament on the same subject having reported, and that report having been adopted by the House, that he did not find in that report any regulations respecting the private business of the House of Commons at all parallel to those which had been adopted by their Lordships, respecting the private business of the House of Lords. No doubt the wisdom of the Committee of the House of Commons prompted them not to introduce such regulations into their report; or perhaps they thought it proper to wait for the more ample opportunity which the next Session might afford them. But of this he was certain, that great as was the improvement which had been made in the conduct of the private business in their Lordships' House, it was by no means adequate to the necessity of the case in the other House of Parliament.

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