HL Deb 30 March 1955 vol 192 cc241-3

2.59 p.m.

Order of the Day for the consideration of the Second Report from the Select Committee read.

The Committee reported as follows:

1.—LIBRARY.

The Report of the Sub-Committee on the Library was laid before the Committee and approved.

The Lord Great Chamberlain was added to the Sub-Committee.

The Committee authorised an extension of service to Mr. Charles Travis Clay, C.B., the Librarian, to October 31, 1956.

2.—REFRESHMENT DEPARTMENT.

The Report of the Sub-Committee on the Refreshment Department was laid before the Committee and approved.

3.—VENTILATION IN THE CHAMBER.

The Committee considered the method of ventilation in the Chamber.

4.—PEERS' ORDERS FOR PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS.

The Committee approved the draft of the circular to be sent round to Peers at the beginning of every new Parliament.

They recommended that the number of copies of Hansard which can be issued to Peers who have spoken in a Debate should be increased from two to six.

They further recommended that a bound copy of Commons' Hansard should be issued to Peers who specifically ask for it.

5.—SUBSCRIPTIONS.

A Sub-Committee was appointed to consider the various appeals to Members of the House for staff outings, Christmas fund, et cetera the Sub-Committee to consist of the Lord Great Chamberlain and Earl Fortescue, with the Clerk of the Parliaments.

6.—REVISED SCALES OF PAY.

The Committee sanctioned the application of Treasury Establishments Circular No. 3/55 dated 6th January, 1955 (Pay of Messengerial and Paper keeping Grades, etc.), to analogous grades of the staff of the House of Lords.

The Committee gave authority to the Chairman of Committees and the Clerk of the Parliaments to give immediate application to the appropriate House of Lords staff of general Civil Service pay revisions and to report to the Committee at their next meeting.

7.—SUPERANNUATION (TRANSFERS BETWEEN THE CIVIL SERVICE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT) RULES, 1950.

The Committee sanctioned the application of the above Rules and the appropriate Treasury Establishments Circulars to the House of Lords staff and authorised the payment of a transfer value to the London County Council in respect of the services of Mr. Frank Robert Lister in the Office of the Lord Great Chamberlain.

8.—EQUAL PAY SCHEME.

The Committee sanctioned the application to the House of Lords staff of Treasury Establishments Circular No. 10/55 dated 16th February, 1955, providing for the gradual introduction of the scheme for equal pay to men and women.

The Committee authorised the consequential increases in the Estimates for 1954–55 and 1955–56.

9.—FORMER CLERK IN THE LORD GREAT CHAMBERLAIN'S DEPARTMENT.

An application from Miss J. E. M. Everard, who resigned on 8th November, 1954, that previous unestablished service with the Foreign Office and the Lord Chancellor's Department should be reckoned for superannuation purposes was considered by the Committee and referred to the Lord Chancellor's Department.

10.—RETIREMENT OF A HOUSEMAID.

The Committee sanctioned the payment of a gratuity under section 40 of the Superannuation Act, 1949, to Mrs. Mary McNicholas on her retirement after 14 completed years' service.

THE DEPUTY CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEES (LORD MERTHYR)

My Lords, on behalf of my noble friend the Lord Chairman, who, I am sorry to say, is still indisposed, I beg to move that this Report be now considered.

Moved, That the Report be now considered.—(Lord Merthyr.)

On Question, Motion agreed to.

LORD MERTHYR

My Lords, in moving that this Report be now agreed to, I should like to draw your Lordships' attention to paragraph 4 of the Report and to remind your Lordships that at the termination of every Parliament the orders which are given by noble Lords for printed papers automatically expire and fall to be renewed at the commencement of a new Parliament. Accordingly, after a new Parliament has begun a circular will be sent to every Member of your Lordships' House asking what Papers are required during the forthcoming Parliament. There is one change which the Committee recommend—namely, that in future every noble Lord will be entitled to six copies of Hansard if he has taken part in a debate, in addition to the one copy which every Member who requires it receives, provided that he makes application to the Printed Paper Office for that number of copies. My Lords, I do not think that there is anything else in the Report to which I need draw the particular attention of your Lordships, and I beg to move that this Report be agreed to.

Moved, That the Report be now agreed to.—(Lord Merthyr.)

On Question, Motion agreed to.