HL Deb 30 June 1975 vol 362 cc10-2

2.52 p.m.

The LORD PRIVY SEAL (Lord Shepherd)

My Lords, with the leave of the House I shall make a Statement about business this afternoon. It had been my intention to move a Motion designating Lords Members of the European Parliament; but following a postponement of the equivalent Motion in another place, it has been agreed through the usual channels not to take my Motion this afternoon. Instead, it will be taken on Thursday. I apologise to any noble Lords who may be inconvenienced by the change of business.

The Earl of LAUDERDALE

My Lords, may I ask the noble Lord whether he is aware that, although I appreciate his apology, I learned officially about this change when he was good enough to ask my noble friend Lord Alport to give me a message at ten minutes to two. Some days ago I put down an Amendment to this Motion, and Notice of this Motion has been in italic form on the Order Paper since last Wednesday. Might it not have been reasonable that those other people involved should perhaps have been consulted and not only the usual channels?

Lord SHEPHERD

My Lords, I know the noble Earl's view over many years about the usual channels. I must admit that on this occasion unfortunately the usual channels failed in their customary service in notifying those noble Lords involved in the change of business. That is why I extended my apologies not only to the noble Earl but to the House as a whole. The fact is that as a consequence of consultation the decision was taken only comparatively late this morning, and it was taken on the basis of the convenience of the House.

Lord BYERS

My Lords, can we take it that this will be the first business on Thursday?

Lord SHEPHERD

My Lords, if I have anything to do with it, yes.

Lord AVEBURY

My Lords, as I arrived this afternoon with the express intention of opposing this obnoxious Motion, could the noble Lord say why it has been postponed?

Lord SHEPHERD

My Lords, I am not certain which Motion was "obnoxious"—my own, or that of the noble Earl. However, the decision was taken after consultation because another place had yet to debate this matter, and we thought it would be very much in the interests of our own discussion if this matter was finally dealt with in another place, so that we could then take account of our own position in the light of the debate and the decision taken in another place.

Viscount AMORY

My Lords, I think the general feeling will be that this question of the selection of representatives for the European Parliament in the long term is most important. If this slight postponement gives time for more thought to be given to the right long-term way of doing it, it will be most welcome.

Lord SHEPHERD

My Lords, whether or not Thursday is the right time to reach a long-term decision, I hope the House will appreciate that the new European Parliament sits on 7th July and I am sure it would be the wish of the whole House that the British representation is there to take part on this very important occasion.

Lord BALFOUR of INCHRYE

My Lords, the Leader of the House very graciously apologised to noble Lords who had been inconvenienced—those who, like myself, have come a long distance and made a difficult journey in order to get here today for the Motion, which we then find at the last moment has been postponed. Can the noble Lord give a positive guarantee that the usual channels will flow uninterruptedly and without difficulty, and that there will be no problem in coming to a conclusion by Thursday? It would be for the convenience of the House to know now, positively, that Thursday is to be the day.

Furthermore, may I just remind the noble Lord that since 1972 my noble friend Lord Lauderdale and myself, together with several other noble Lords, have protested at this constant monopoly of the usual channels for this selection of members for the European Parliament. Had the suggestions which we have made in the past been adopted previously, the usual channels might not today have found themselves in these difficulties. Therefore, may we please know whether the whole question of the usual channels will be reviewed, in addition to the consideration of the Amendment which the noble Earl, Lord Lauderdale, has put down and which many of us wish to support?

Lord SHEPHERD

My Lords, the usual channels are such an obscure body that I hesitate to say whether or not it could be reviewed; but I can give the noble Lord the assurance that this debate will take place on Thursday because, as I said earlier, the European Parliament assembles on 7th July and I would think the whole House would wish to see the British delegation present. This is not perhaps the occasion to debate the subject; we can do that on Thursday. I have made a mere business Statement, indicating the change of business. I would think it best to leave the matter there.

Lord WIGG

My Lords, the noble Lord the Leader of the House expressed the view that it was the wish of the whole House to have the British represented at Strasbourg. May I disillusion him? I, for one, would be a party to it only if the delegation followed historical precedent attending in their shirt-tails and with a halter round their necks.

Lord SHEPHERD

My Lords, when one speaks of "the whole House", one always knows there must be some exceptions.