§ 3.30 p.m.
§ Baroness LLEWELYN-DAVIES of HASTOEMy Lords, with the leave of the House, it may be for the convenience of your Lordships if I read out a Press Statement which has been released about the General Election.
The Prime Minister has today asked Her Majesty The Queen to proclaim the Dissolution of Parliament. Her Majesty has been graciously pleased to signify that she will comply with this request.In order to complete essential financial and other business, Parliament will sit until Wednesday, 4th April. Dissolution will take place on Saturday, 7th April. The General Election will take place on Thursday, 3rd May, concurrently with the local government elections in England and Wales; the legislation necessary to facilitate this will need to be enacted before Parliament adjourns on 4th April.The new Parliament will be summoned on Wednesday, 9th May, when the first business will be the election of the Speaker and the swearing-in of Members, and the State Opening will be on Tuesday, 15th May.My Lords, with the leave of the House I will make a Statement about future business at a convenient moment later on this afternoon.