§ 3.5 p.m.
§ THE CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEES (THE EARL OF LISTOWEL)My Lords, I beg to move the Motion standing in my name on the Order Paper.
§ Moved, That the Select Committee on the House of Lords Offices be appointed; and that the Lords following, with the Lord Chancellor and the Chairman of Committees, be named of the Committee:
- M. Cholmondeley
- M. Salisbury
- M. Willingdon,
- E. Dundee,
- E. Dundonald,
- L. Privy Seal (E. Jellicoe)
- E. Longford,
- E. St. Aldwyn,
- E. Swinton,
- V. Dilhorne
- V. Goschen
- V. Hood,
- L. Aberdae,
- L. Airedale
- L. Amulree,
- L. Beswick
- L. Brooke of Cumnor,
- B. Brooke of Ystradfellte,
- L. Byers,
- L. Champin,
- L. Chorley
- L. Conesfod
- L. Denham,
- L. Gardiner,
- L. Hawke.
- L. Henderson
- L. Henley,
- L. Hunt,
- B. Hylton-Foster,
- L. Inchyra,
- L. Ironside,
- L. Jessel,
- L. Kennet,
- B. Llewelyn-Davies of Hastoe,
- L. Lucas of Chilworth,
- L. Mancroft,
- L. Maybray-King,
- L. Nugent of Guildford,
- L. Ogmore,
- L. O'Hagan
- B. Phillis,
- L. Rea,
- L. Reid,
- L. Robertson of Oakridge,
- L. Sainsbuy
- B. Secar,
- Ly. Sempill,
- L. Shackleton,
- L. Shepherd,
- L. Silkin,
- L. Strabolgi,
- L. Strang,
- B. Summerskill,
- L. Wade,
- B. Wootton of Abinger:
§ That the Committee have leave to report from time to time.—(The Earl of Listowel.)
§ LORD LEATHERLANDMy Lords, the only question I wish to raise is whether those who have drawn up this list of names think that the Committee is big enough. It consists only of 57 noble Lords and it may be felt that on some occasions there is not a sufficient width of experience to enable the Committee to deal properly with the matters that they have to consider. May I just ask how the 57 names were chosen?
§ THE EARL OF LISTOWELMy Lords, this is a large Committee. The noble Lord may not think that it is large enough. The reason for its size is that it deals with the domestic affairs of the House, a subject in which we are all equally interested. It therefore has to be, so far as possible, representative of a cross-section of the whole of the House. This matter of the size of the Sessional Committees of the House is dealt with in the second of the Reports which noble Lords will be considering and debating this afternoon, and I am sure that we shall all look forward with interest to what noble Lords opposite may have to say on that subject.
§ LORD SHACKLETONMy Lords, may I support what the noble Earl has said? Once again we are going to debate this matter; but in the same way as the noble Earl got my noble friend Lord Hoy as a recruit yesterday, he has to-day another one in my noble friend who has just asked the question. I hope that the noble Earl will put him on a hardworking Committee.
§ LORD SEGALMy Lords, in view of the length of this list may I ask the noble Earl whether there is still time for the inclusion of "the noble Lord, Lord Cobleigh", who, prior to his elevation to the Peerage, was familiarly known as "Uncle Tom".
§ THE EARL OF LISTOWELMy Lords, I can assure the noble Lord—if his comment was a serious one that any noble Lord whom the House may wish to add to the Committee can be added at any time in the future.
§ BARONESS WOOTTON OF ABINGERMy Lords, in arriving at the total of 57 was the Committee of Selection influenced by the precedent set by that distinguished gentleman Mr. Heinz?
§ LORD BYERSMy Lords, is not the answer to that question the point cogently argued in the second Report, that it was variety that the Committee were after?
§ VISCOUNT AMORYMy Lords, is not the number of 57 still further evidence of the many-sidedness of truth?
§ On Question, Motion agreed to.