HL Deb 28 July 1977 vol 386 cc1126-7

3.21 p.m.

The LORD CHANCELLOR (Lord Elwyn-Jones) rose to move, That this House do approve the appointment by the Lord Chancellor, pursuant to the Clerk of the Parliaments Act 1824, of John Victor Duncombe Webb, Esquire, to be Fourth Clerk at the Table (Judicial) in place of Sir Richard Philip Cave, retired. The noble and learned Lord said: My Lords, I beg to move the Motion standing in my name on the Order Paper. By Statute, the appointment of Clerks at the Table other than the Clerk of the Parliaments is vested in the Lord Chancellor, subject to the approval of the House. The office of Fourth Clerk at the Table (Judicial) was created in 1965 when Sir Richard Cave was appointed. On that occasion my noble and learned friend Lord Gardiner explained to the House that the appointment would carry no prescriptive right of succession to any of the other posts at the Table and would not involve any increase in remuneration. These conditions will still apply. My noble and learned friend also said that the appointment was to be regarded as personal to Sir Richard and was not to be treated as a precedent. I am satisfied, however, that the arrangement has proved to be a good one and that it is in the interests of the House that it should be continued on a permanent basis. Accordingly, I ask the House to approve my appointment of Mr. Webb as Sir Richard's successor.

In moving this Motion, I am sure that I have the support of the whole House in wishing Sir Richard a happy retirement and in expressing our gratitude for the great services he has rendered.

Several noble Lords

Hear, Hear!

The LORD CHANCELLOR

My Lords, I beg to move.

Moved, That this House do approve the appointment by the Lord Chancellor, pursuant to the Clerk of the Parliaments Act 1824, of John Victor Duncombe Webb, Esquire, to be Fourth Clerk at the Table (Judicial) in place of Sir Richard Philip Cave, retired.—(The Lord Chancellor.)

Lord HAILSHAM of SAINT MARY-LEBONE

My Lords, I endorse what the noble and learned Lord has said, and I should like to be associated with him in his remarks about Sir Richard who has been of great help to us all in the Judicial Committee and elsewhere. I should also like to wish his successor every possible good fortune in his work.

On Question, Motion agreed to.