§ Lord HOUGHTON of SOWERBYMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask the Leader of the House whether improved facilities can be provided for internal communication by letter or circular between Members of the House of Lords.
§ The LORD PRIVY SEAL (Lord Peart)My Lords, a Peer can hand up to six messages to a Doorkeeper in the Prince's Chamber or to the Attendants' Office in the Peers' Lobby. A self-service letter rack is also provided in the Prince's Chamber for Members of the House who wish to contact more than six Peers. Any expansion of these facilities would require additional staff and extra space for sorting, both of which would be expensive. An improvement on existing facilities could be achieved if Peers made more use of the self-service letter rack.
§ Lord HOUGHTON of SOWERBYMy Lords, is my noble friend aware that that reply is really very disappointing? Does he understand the complete nonsense of existing arrangements? A Peer goes to the board and asks leave to put messages for fellow Peers on it. Six messages, as my noble friend has pointed out, may be put there. The rest have to be taken to the Post Office for 9p stamps to be put upon them. Thereupon they are transferred from the Post Office to the board for noble Lords to collect. This seems to me absolutely ridiculous—
§ Several noble Lords: Question!
1914§ Lord HOUGHTON of SOWERBYCannot my noble friend find some way whereby a limited use of the facilities of this kind may be made? Is he aware that we have just formed a House of Lords industrial policy group and we wish to communicate with 35, 40 or 50 Members? There is an all-Party conservation group. They wish to communicate with—
§ Several noble Lords: Speech!
§ Lord HOUGHTON of SOWERBYIt is no good my noble friend looking so pained about this—
§ Several noble Lords: Order!
§ Lord HOUGHTON of SOWERBYMy Lords, there is no Order involved. I am still on my feet.
§ Several noble Lords: Order!
§ Lord PEARTMy Lords, I hope that the noble Lord will ask a direct question.
§ Lord HOUGHTON of SOWERBYMy Lords, I do not need prompting to ask a direct question: I am asking a direct question, which is whether some improved facilities can be made. My noble friend has apparently said, No. I am asking him to reconsider the matter. Existing arrangements are ridiculous. I repeat that word, and we want better facilities—
§ Several noble Lords: Order!
§ Lord PEARTMy Lords, the noble Lord has been in this House longer than I. This is the first time that I have heard any complaints about this facility. There is of course an administration subcommittee of the Offices Committee. A strong case will have to be made out there for any alteration. But I am prepared to consider this, so I am not being negative.
§ Lord HOUGHTON of SOWERBYMy Lords, will my noble friend refer this matter to a group of noble Lords who can report on the facilities of this House?
§ Lord PEARTNo, my Lords, because there is an administration sub-committee of the Offices Committee. The noble Lord has been a Member of this House longer than I have; he is experienced and knows that the sub-committee exists.
The Lord Bishop of LONDONMy Lords, will the noble Lord consider, or ask those responsible to consider, improvement in the self-service racks, since letters have to be of a particular size? Would it not be easier if the self-service racks took letters of different shapes and sizes?
§ Lord PEARTMy Lords, there is a very good general information booklet which deals with letters. I think that information is excellent, but I am prepared to look at that request.
§ Lord WIGGMy Lords, would my noble friend accept that I am sure the whole House supports him in urging my noble friend Lord Houghton of Sowerby to say what he wants to say in interrogative form? But would he be good enough to see that this rule is applied right throughout the House, to both Front Benches and the Liberal Party as well? We should all put questions into interrogative form or none of us should do so, one or the other.
§ Lord PEARTMy Lords, I agree. I continually intervene to try to get Members to do that. I am grateful for the support of the noble Lord.
§ Lord ARDWICKMy Lords, is the noble Lord aware that great inconvenience can be caused because letters addressed to noble Lords and delivered by hand to this House cannot be sent on to them? There is no facility for sending letters on to Peers and sometimes weeks of delay can occur over important communications.
§ Lord PEARTMy Lords, as I have said, I am prepared to have this matter considered by the administration subcommittee.
§ Lord DRUMALBYNMy Lords, does it not go a little further than this in this sense: would the noble Lord also consider examining the possibility of having all mail stamped when it is addressed by one Member of the House to another?
§ Lord PEARTMy Lords, I will look at this suggestion. I will refer this matter to the administration sub-committee, for that is its purpose.