§ THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURY had given Notice of a Motion to set up a Select Committee to consider procedure in regard to legislation by Special Orders which require affirmative Resolutions by both Houses of Parliament. The noble Marquess said: My Lords, I do not intend to trouble your Lordships with any observations in moving the Motion which stands in my name, because it is made in pursuance of a discussion which took place in your lordships' House on Thursday last and it was at the instance of the Lord President that I placed it upon the Paper. Since its appearance on the Paper, noble Lords have represented to me that the reference to the Committee ought not to be confined to affirmative Resolutions. I have considered the point and I should be sorry to widen the terms of reference, because the effect of widening them would be to involve a good deal of delay. So far as I know, no question arises on other forms of assent by lying on the Table. Therefore I do not propose to widen the terms of reference unless I receive strong expressions of opinion from other noble Lords of their desire that those terms should be widened. For the moment I content myself with making the Motion in the form in which it appears on the Paper.
§ Moved, That it is desirable that a Select Committee be appointed to consider the conditions under which in 778 various Acts of Parliament it is provided that schemes or Orders shall acquire or retain the force of law upon the passing of an affirmative Resolution by both Houses of Parliament, and to report whether in so far as the House of Lords is concerned any and, if so, what safeguards in the procedure under which these Resolutions are submitted is required in order to preserve adequate control by Parliament over the provisions of these schemes or Orders, and that the following Lords with the Chairman of Committees be named of the Select Committee—
- M. Salisbury.
- L. Ponsonby (E. Bessborough).
- L. Denman.
- L. Emmott.
- L. Muir Mackenzie.
- L. Stuart of Wortley.
§ (The Marquess of Salisbury.)
§ LORD PARMOORMy Lords, I hope that the noble Marquess, Lord Salisbury, will not enlarge the terms of reference to include other than affirmative Resolutions. The discussion on Thursday last was entirely in reference to affirmative Resolutions, and it was in reference to them that I made the statement which I then made.
§ THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURYQuite so.
§ On Question, Motion agreed to, and ordered accordingly.
§ House adjourned at seven o'clock.