HL Deb 23 June 1876 vol 230 cc316-7
LORD REDESDALE,

in moving the appointment of a Select Committee to consider, jointly with a Select Committee of the Commons, the existing system of Parliamentary Agency, said, that at present there was practically no professional qualification required in the case of persons practising as Parliamentary agents, and much inconvenience and loss and delay resulted to those who were interested in Private Business before Parliament from the incompetency of some of those persons. In the year 1837 the other House made certain Rules respecting Parliamentary agents. They were to be personally responsible for the observance of the rules, orders, and practice of Parliament, and for the payment of all fees and charges; and no person was allowed to act as agent until he had subscribed a declaration to that effect; he might also be required to enter into a recognizance of £500 conditioned to observe this declaration; he was then registered in a book kept in the Private Bill Office, and was entitled to act as a Parliamentary agent. These rules gave some sort of security for the proper conduct of Parliamentary agents as regarded the other House, though there was none for their efficiency, which he hoped might be secured by proper rules to be adopted by both Houses on the recommendation from the Joint Committee he now sought to obtain. The noble Lord concluded by moving the appointment of a Select Committee, and the consequent Message to the Commons.

THE DUKE OF RICHMOND AND GORDON

expressed his concurrence in the Motion.

Motion agreed to.

Select Committee appointed to join with a Committee of the Commons to consider the expediency of making further regulations concerning the admission and practice of Parliamentary agents, and to report their opinion thereon:

The following Lords named members of the Committee:

M. Lansdowne. L. Redesdale.
E. Doncaster. L. Penrhyn.
E. Camperdown.

And a message sent to the Commons to acquaint them that this House has appointed a committee of five Lords to join with a committee of the Commons "To consider the expediency of making further regulations concerning the admission and practice of Parliamentary agents, and to report their opinion thereon;" and to request that the Commons will be pleased to appoint an equal number of members to be joined with the members of this House.