HL Deb 21 March 1972 vol 329 cc594-7

3.0 p.m.

THE CHAIRMAN of COMMITTEES (THE EARL OF LISTOWEL.)

My Lords, I beg to move that the Third Report from the Select Committee be now considered.

Moved accordingly and, on Question, Motion agreed to.

The Committee's Report was as follows:

1. LIBRARY

A Report from the Sub-Committee on the Library for the year 1971 was laid before the Committee and agreed.

2. SECURITY

The Committee considered and agreed to a recommendation from the Administration Committee that, in order to assist Security Staff in the Palace of Westminster, as many Peers as possible should be issued with photographic passes on a voluntary basis.

3. TIMING OF SPEECHES IN THE CHAMBER

The Committee have considered the experimental installation of time indicators on three of the galleries in the Chamber as recommended in the First Report from the Procedure Committee agreed to by the House on December 16, 1971. They considered that the figures displayed on the two indicators he the same size as those of the indicator underneath the clock on the Press gallery; and that as part of the experiment they should be enlarged accordingly.

4. GIFT FROM TIIE DUNKIRK VETERANS' ASSOCIATION

The Committee recommend the acceptance by the House of the gift of a piece of the wooden jetty at Dunkirk offered by the Dunkirk Veterans' Association. They agree with the suggestion of the Sub-Committee on Works of Art that, subject to the concurrence of the Lord Great Chamberlain (which has been obtained), it be placed in the Royal Gallery underneath the Roll of Honour.

5. LORD CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEES

The Committee sanctioned an increase in the annual salary of the Lord Chairman of Committees with effect from April 1, 1972.

6. NAUTICAL ASSESSORS

The Committee sanctioned an increase in the of the revised scale of fees payable in the Supreme Court to Nautical Assessors for similar attendance at the hearing of an Appeal to the House of Lords in an Admiralty action.

7. REVISED SCALES OF PAY

The Committee sanctioned the application of the following Establishment Circulars:—

  1. (a) D.E.O. (72) (PAY) No. 1.
  2. (b) D.E.O. (72) (PAY) No. 3.
  3. (c) D.E.O. (72) No. 4.
to applicable staff of the House of Lords.

8. PARLIAMENT OFFICE

The Committee authorised the appointment of an additional Executive Officer and Clerical Officer in the Accountant's Office.

9. HANSARD REPORTING STAFF

The Committee authorised the payment of increased charges under the Agreement with Haynes Secretarial Services for the supply of typists for the reporting of Debates with effect from 1st January, 1972.

The Committee sanctioned the application to temporary Reporters of revised attendance fees as set out in D.E.O. letter of 29th November, 1971 with effect from 1st November, 1971.

10. OFFICIAL SHORTHAND WRITER

The Committee approved an increase in the scale of fees and the annual retaining fee for the Official Shorthand Writer with effect from 1st November, 1971.

11. SUPERANNUATION

The Committee sanctioned the payment of a pension and additional allowance to Mr. Frank Maitland, Reporter, on his retirement on the 1st May, 1972.

THE EARL OF LISTOWEL

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

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

THE LORD PRIVY SEAL (EARL JELLICOE)

My Lords, may I say a word on this Report? Your Lordships will see that in Item 2 the Offices Committee recommend that as many Peers as possible should be issued with photographic passes on a voluntary basis. Your Lordships may recall that last week my noble friend the Chief Whip drew attention to the fact that photographic pass equipment was installed in the Royal Gallery and urged your Lordships to take advantage of this and acquire passes. I am very glad to say that as a result of my noble friend's statement about a hundred of your Lordships have in fact availed themselves of this facility. I should perhaps add that they include the noble Earl the Leader of the House, and that the result was a remarkable and flattering portrait on his pass. I should like, if I may, to take this opportunity to remind your Lordships of the help which every Member of this House can give to our security staff by acquiring one of these passes. Perhaps I should also add that the pass equipment is again installed in the Royal Gallery and will be available between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. on all Sitting Days this week. This is entirely on a voluntary basis, but I would urge those of your Lordships who have not yet received a pass to acquire one.

LORD SHEPHERD

My Lords, the House will be very grateful for the words which the Leader of the House has just delivered on this matter. On behalf of my noble friends on this side of the House, I support his plea to noble Lords who may be present, or who may read our debates to have their photographs taken; and I hope that they will have the same degree of satisfaction as has been afforded to the noble Earl. I hope it will be understood that this is on a voluntary basis and in no way restricts a noble Lord's right to attend this House, whether or not he possesses a photographic pass. I think I am correct in saying that when the House of Lords Select Committee considered this matter we agreed that it would be for a period and that the question of whether or not the process should be continued would be subject to review. On that basis, we on this side of the House fully support what the noble Earl has said and appeal to all colleagues to have their photographs taken and produce their passes in order to assist the security forces.

LORD BYERS

My Lords, may I endorse what the two noble Lords have said, in particular because we have quite a large number of new people involved in the security forces and the police of this House? I am quite sure that this process will help them in the very difficult task which they discharge so courteously.

THE EARL OF LISTOWEL

My Lords, I am very grateful to the noble Earl the Leader of the House and to the noble Lords, the Leaders of the Parties opposite, for what they have said in support of the Offices Committee's recommendation about security.

On Question, Motion agreed to.