§ 4.6 p.m.
§ Order of the Day read for the consideration of the Commons' Message of Tuesday last, That they have come to the following Resolution to which they desire the concurrence of this House, viz.: "That it is expedient that a Joint Committee of Lords and Commons be appointed to consider what alterations, if any, are desirable in the practice and the Standing Orders of the two Houses relating to Private Legislation, having special regard to the desirability of lessening the expense at present incurred."
§ THE DEPUTY CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEES (THE EARL OF BUCKINGHAMSHIRE)My Lords, I beg to move that the Commons Message of Tuesday last be now considered.
§ Moved, That the Commons Message of Tuesday last be now considered.—(The Earl of Buckinghamshire.)
§ On Question, Motion agreed to.
§ THE EARL OF BUCKINGHAMSHIREMy Lords, the last Committee which went fully into this matter was a Select Committee of the House of Commons in the year 1930. The 1004 House of Lords appointed a Select Committee at the end of 1942 to consider the question of the cost involved in promoting Private Legislation. That Committee reported in 1943 that no useful purpose would be served in further considering the matter during the war emergency, but they recommended that the Committee should be reconstituted after the end of the war, with instructions to consider the whole matter in the light of such developments as might have taken place in the interval. No further action having been taken by the House since then, I hope that your Lordships will agree to this Motion. I beg to move.
§ Moved, That this House do concur in the Resolution communicated by the Commons.—(The Earl of Buckinghamshire.)
§ On Question, Motion agreed to: ordered that a Message be sent to the Commons to acquaint them therewith.