§ The LORD PRESIDENT of the COUNCIL (Lord Soames)My Lords, I beg with some embarrassment to move the Motion standing in my name on the Order Paper. The need for this Motion was announced to the House yesterday by my noble friend Lord Denham. In moving it today, I feel that I should state again the circumstances which make it necessary. On Tuesday, the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments drew attention to an error of one day in a date on the order. They recommended:
That the present draft order could be withdrawn and a new corrected draft could be laid and approval could be sought for it before Parliament rises for the Recess ".The Government have acted on this recommendation and a corrected order was laid yesterday. Technically, the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments should report on the new order before the Motion is moved. As the only change has been a change of date which was recommended by the Committee I hope that the House will agree this Motion.Moved, That Standing Order No. 68 (Affirmative Instruments) be dispensed with for the purpose of enabling the 2046 Motion to approve the draft Regional Development Grants (Variation of Prescribed Percentages) Order 1979 to be moved this day notwithstanding that there has not been laid before the House a report thereon from the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments.—(Lord Soatnes.)
§ Baroness LLEWELYN-DAVIES of HASTOEMy Lords, from this side of the House we would only hope that Her Majesty's Government are able to run the country better than they are able to run their orders and the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments.
§ Lord SOAMESMy Lords, all that I can say in answer to the noble Baroness is that if we never do worse than to write the 17th for the 18th July, we will not have done badly.
§ On Question, Motion agreed to.