§ 11.10 a.m.
§ LORD ALPORTMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask the Leader of the House what decisions have been taken to review the procedure of the House following the debate on April 29, 1965.]
§ THE LORD PRIVY SEAL (THE EARL OF LONGFORD)My Lords, the action so far taken in this matter is described in the Fourth Report of the Procedure Committee, which was considered and agreed to by the House on Tuesday last. Noble Lords will see from this Report 401 that the Procedure Committee have considered current proposals for changes in procedure of the House, including those made in the course of the debate on the Motion of the noble Lord, Lord Alport, and have referred certain of them to a Sub-Committee which has been appointed to study the proposals and report back to the Committee with recommendations.
§ LORD ALPORTMy Lords, may I ask the noble Earl the Leader of the House, first, whether it is going to be possible for outside evidence, or evidence from Members of this House, to be called by the Sub-Committee; secondly, whether the report of the Sub-Committee will be published; and, thirdly, whether the Sub-Committee will be prepared to consider additional subjects relating to the form of procedure—including, for instance, the experimental television of the debates in your Lordships' House?
§ THE EARL OF LONGFORDMy Lords, I think that all those questions must be addressed to the Chairman of the Sub-Committee, who is also the Chairman of the Procedure Committee. I am quite ready to give the noble Lord, or any other noble Lord, any information about our proceedings up to now—nothing is secret; but I think the best thing would be for the noble Lord to write to the Lord Chairman of Committees, who is Chairman of the Sub-Committee.
§ VISCOUNT DILHORNEMy Lords, will not the report of the Sub-Committee be considered by the full Committee, and will not the Report of the full Committee be presented to this House? The Report of the full Committee will no doubt include the report of the Sub-Committee, so will not the House be fully informed of the recommendations made by the Sub-Committee appointed for the purpose?
§ THE EARL OF LONGFORDI am most grateful to the noble Viscount for clarifying the procedure which will in fact be adopted.
§ LORD ALPORTMy Lords, I am sorry to carry the matter just one stage further, but may I ask the noble Earl whether the Report only will be published or will evidence given (if, indeed, evidence is called by the Sub-Committee) also be published?
§ THE EARL OF LONGFORDMy Lords, I am afraid I could not give any assurance on that matter. That is not for me as Leader of the House or as a member of the Government to decide. That, of course, would be entirely for the Sub-Committee, subject to the ultimate rulings of the Procedure Committee.