HL Deb 23 July 1970 vol 311 cc1068-70

2.46 p.m.

THE CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEES THE EARL OF LISTOWEL)

My Lords, I beg to move that the First Report from the Select Committee on House of Lords Offices be now considered. I must first apologise to the House for the fact that the Notice for the consideration of this Report was not put down on the Order Paper for this afternoon, but as Recommendations 4 and 5 of the Report ought to be agreed to by your Lordships before the Recess if hardship to those concerned is not to be avoided, I venture to suggest that the Report be considered, notwithstanding the lack of notice.

There is nothing in the Report, I think, to which your Lordships' attention need be specially directed, apart from Recommendation 2, which proposes that the experimental period for a variation in the form of Prayers should be prolonged from the end of July until next Easter. Copies of the Report are, of course, available in the Printed Paper Office and on the Table in the usual way. I beg to move that the First Report from the Select Committee on House of Lords Offices be now considered.

Moved accordingly, and, on Question, Motion agreed to.

The Committee's Report was as follows:

1. APPOINTMENT OF SUB-COMMITTEES

(a) Administration. The administration Committee was appointed as follows:

with the Clerk of the Parliaments.

With power to co-opt further Lords.

(b) Library. The Sub-Committee on the Library was appointed as follows:

with the Clerk of the Parliaments.

With power to co-opt further Lords and to appoint its own Chairman.

(c) Refreshment Department. The Sub-Committee on the Refreshment Department was appointed as follows:

with the Clerk of the Parliaments.

With power to co-opt further Lords and to appoint its own Chairman.

(d)House of Lords Estimates. The Sub-Committee on the Estimates was appointed as follows:

with the Cleric of the Parliaments.

2. PRAYERS

The Committee further considered the proposal for a variation in the form of prayers which they authorised in March for an experimental period until the end of July.

They recommend that the experimental period be prolonged until next Easter.

3. HOUSE OF Lords' Fees on Peerage Claims

The Committee considered the fees payable on Peerage Claims and recommended that they should be revised as follows:

£. s. d.
Petition of Claimant 5 0 0
For each of the first 3 days on which the Committee for Prvileges meets 10 0 0
For each subsequent day 15 0 0
Order for Attendance of a Witness 5 0 0
Report from Committee 15 0 0
Resolution and Judgment

4. ATTENDANTS AND HOUSEMAIDS

  1. (a) The Clerk of the Parliaments informed the Committee of a review of the grade of House of Lords' Attendants. The Committee authorised the rates of pay consequent upon the revised grading of the Attendants with effect from 1st April, 1970.
  2. (b) The Committee sanctioned the application of the following Establishment Circulars:—
    1. (a) D.E.O. (70) (PAY) No. 9—Messenger and Paperkeeper Classes
    2. (b) D.E.O. (70) (PAY) No. 10—and Women Cleaners
to Attendants and Housemaids on the staff of the House of Lords.

5. SUPERANNUATION

The Committee sanctioned the payment of the following awards under the Superannuation Act 1965:

  1. (a)Revised Gratuities to Mrs. L. M. Wildego and Mrs. A. K. Vollar, retired Housemaids.
  2. (b) Gratuity to Mrs. Ada Mary Smith, Housemaid, who retired on the 13th June, 1970.

THE EARL of LISTOWEL

My Lords. I beg to move that this Report be agreed to.

Moved, That the Report be agreed to.—(The Earl of Listowel.)

On Question, Motion agreed to.