§ 2.55 p.m.
§ Baroness LLEWELYN-DAVIES of HASTOEMy Lords, with the leave of the House, at a convenient moment after 3.30 my noble friend Lord Goronwy-Roberts will repeat a Statement on the Puerto Rico Summit Meeting. I should also like to take this opportunity to draw the attention of your Lordships to the construction in front of the Galleries. This represents the size of the commentary box, and the brass railing, proposed by the Joint Committee on Sound Broadcasting in its first report, which we shall be debating next week. The House may find it useful as a guide in considering that report.
§ Lord HAILSHAM of SAINT MARY-LEBONEMy Lords, before we get on to the broadcasting zareba, may I ask the noble Baroness whether, in addition to the Statement on Puerto Rico, we could not be favoured with the same Statement on the Angolan trials as that with which I believe another place is being favoured?
§ Baroness LLEWELYN-DAVIES of HASTOEMy Lords, that matter was 670 considered through the usual channels and it was decided that this House would not wish to take that Statement.
§ Lord HAILSHAM of SAINT MARY-LEBONEMy Lords, I wonder whether the noble Baroness could reconsult the usual channels? I ask this because some of us were unaware, until we had lunch in another place, that this matter was taking place, and I think that there are noble Lords in this House who would wish to question the Government upon the Statement.
§ Baroness LLEWELYN-DAVIES of HASTOEMy Lords, perhaps the noble and learned Lord would like to consult his own usual channel about that.
§ Lord SHINWELLMy Lords, why should the usual channels have come to a decision on an important issue of this kind? There are Members of your Lordships' House who will be prevented from listening to a Statement on this subject and perhaps offering some opinions.
§ Baroness LLEWELYN-DAVIES of HASTOEOf course, my Lords, the usual channels always consider the total Business of the clay, and it is a consensus of their judgment on every occasion when this arises, whether, in the light of all the rest of the Business, to take a second Statement when we are already due to take one, and when we also have an Introduction. These arrangements normally proceed without any trouble.
§ Lord CARRINGTONMy Lords, nobody has a greater admiration or affection for the usual channels than I have and I should be the last to question their judgment, but now that this matter has been raised and some of your Lordships on both sides of the House feel that this Statement ought to be made, I wonder whether on this occasion the usual channels would reconsider the matter?
§ Baroness LLEWELYN-DAVIES of HASTOEMy Lords, if the Front Bench speakers on both sides of the House will be available to deal with and discuss the Statement, I am always prepared to reconsider the position, especially after such flattering remarks, but it may not be possible.
§ Lord SHINWELLMy Lords, will my noble friend accept a Motion for the abolition of the usual channels?
§ Baroness LLEWELYN-DAVIES of HASTOEMy Lords, I am about to propose a Motion for the abolition of everybody over 90!