HL Deb 08 June 1971 vol 320 cc8-10

2.59 p.m.

THE LORD PRIVY SEAL (EARL JELLICOE)

My Lords, I rise to move the Motion standing in my name on the Order Paper. These Amendments to Standing Orders, apart from that to Standing Order No. 36, all arise from the Fifth Report of the Procedure Committee, to which your Lordships agreed on Wednesday, May 26. The Amendment to Standing Order No. 36 is merely to correct a printing mistake in the Amendment made to this Standing Order a few weeks ago. My Lords, I beg to move.

Moved, That the Standing Orders relating to Public Business be amended as follows:

Standing Order No. 29

Leave out Standing Order No. 29 and insert the following new Standing Order— ("No Lord to speak more than once to a Motion. 29. No Lord is to speak more than once to any Motion, save only:—

  1. (a) when the House is in Committee;
  2. (b) the mover of a Motion in reply;
  3. (c) with the leave of the House, which may only be granted:—
  1. (i) to a Lord to explain himself in some material point of his speech (no new matter being introduced); or
  2. (ii) to the Chairman of Committees, or in his absence a Deputy Chairman, the Chairman of a Select Committee on the Report of such a Committee, or a Minister of the Crown.")

After Standing Order No. 29

Insert the following new Standing Order— ("Leave of the House. 29A. Leave of the House or of a House. Committee of the House must be unanimous in those cases where, if Leave were granted, the House or Committee would be deprived of a Question which would otherwise have been put from the Woolsack or the Chair. In all other cases where Leave is sought, it is granted by a majority of the House and the objection of a single Peer does not suffice to withhold it.")

Standing Order No. 32

Leave out Standing Order No. 32.

Insert the following new Standing Orders— ("PNQs and Statements. 33A. Questions of which private notice has been given may be asked, and statements made, without notice given in the Order Paper, but these should not be made the occasion for immediate debate, unless the House so order. Unstarred Questions and Motions. 33B. Questions which may give rise to discussion (known as Un-starred Questions) and Motions of which notice is required shall appear on the Order Paper of the day on which they are to be taken.")

Standing Order No. 36

Paragraph (3), leave out ("shall, if he so desires,") and insert ("if he so desires, shall") Standing Order No. 37

After paragaph (3) insert— (") Commons amendments to Bills and Commons Reasons may be considered without notice at any convenient time during Public Business")

Paragraph (5), line 2, leave out ("immediately after starred questions") and insert ("at anytime by leave of the House.")—(Earl Jellicoe.)

LORD SLATER

My Lords, may I ask the noble Earl a question on the item"After Standing Order No. 33"? Could he say who is responsible for giving sanction to such a Question being asked on notice of a statement to be made on a particular subject? Will the procedure be similar to that which operates in another place?

EARL JELLICOE

My Lords, I think the answer to the noble Lord's question is that in the case of some Questions the unanimous consent of the House is required; that is, if one noble Lord dissents, then the Question, as it were, falls. But in the case of others—and these were itemised in the Fifth Report of the Procedure Committee—the majority assent of your Lordships' House is required.

LORD SLATER

My Lords, I really wanted clarification as to whether a noble Lord in seeking to ask such a Question would need the permission of the Leader of the House or of the noble and learned Lord who sits on the Woolsack?

EARL JELLICOE

No, my Lords, it is the consent of the House as a whole. If the noble Lord will refer to paragraph 10 of the Fifth Report of the Procedure Committee I think he will find that is made quite clear.

On Question, Motion agreed to: the said Standing Orders amended accordingly.