CONSOLIDATION BILLS (Hansard, 3 December 1952)

HL Deb 03 December 1952 vol 179 cc746-8 746

§ 5.24 p.m.

THE LORD CHANCELLOR
My Lords, I beg to move the Motion standing in my name on the Order Paper.

§ Moved, That a Committee of six Lords be appointed to join with a Committee of the House of Commons as a Joint Committee on Consolidation Bills, Statute Law Revision Bills and Bills presented under the Consolidation of Enactments (Procedure) Act, 1949, in the present Session:

§ That the Lords following be named of the Committee:—

L. Fairfax of Cameron,
L. Rathcreedan,
L. Schuster,
L. Llewellin,
L. Kershaw,
L. Campion;

§ That such Committee have power to agree with the Committee of the House of Commons in the appointment of a Chairman.—(The Lord Chancellor.)

§ LORD BURDEN
My Lords, may I ask the noble and learned Lord whether the names recommended in this Motion—and I am not taking exception to them—have been agreed upon through the usual channels?

THE LORD CHANCELLOR
In answer to the noble Lord, I certainly assumed that they had, but I cannot give a categorical answer. It did not fall to me to select or to agree to the names. If, however, the noble Lord has any doubt about the matter, I will certainly defer this Motion to another day. Perhaps the noble and learned Earl the Leader of the Opposition is in a position to give the noble Lord a reply.

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§ EARL JOWITT
My Lords, the noble Lord asked me whether I had agreed to the names. I said that I thought I might have done but, frankly, I did not remember. May I suggest, if there is any trouble over this matter to-day, that we could always add a name to the list, or something of that kind? If we pass the Motion now, and if I indicate to the noble and learned Lord later that there is some other representative on this side of the House who would like to serve, and who is a suitable person, perhaps the noble and learned Lord would consider moving again to add another name.

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THE LORD CHANCELLOR
Yes, of course, I will gladly take that step. I am sorry that there has been any sort of doubt about the matter to-day.

§ On Question, Motion agreed to: Ordered that a Message be sent to the Commons to acquaint them therewith and to request them to appoint six Members of that House to be joined with the said Committee.