§ Lord DENHAMMy Lords, it may be for the convenience of your Lordships if I announce that it will now be necessary for the House to sit on Friday, 13th June, at 11 a.m., to conclude the Committee stage of the Employment Bill.
With the leave of the House, at a convenient moment after 3.30 my noble friend the Foreign Secretary will make a Statement on the New Hebrides.
In this connection, I have sensed recently that it has been the feeling of the House that possibly questioning after Statements has been inclined to get a little bit out of hand. I wonder whether I might draw the attention of your Lordships to the Companion to Standing Orders which says that,
Ministerial statements are made for the information of the House, and, although brief comments and questions for clarification are 439 allowed, such statements should not be made the occasion for an immediate debate, unless the House so order".In effect, this has always been interpreted as the two noble Lords on the Official Opposition and the Liberal Front Benches being able to make brief comments and others of your Lordships being able to ask questions for clarification only.
§ Baroness LLEWELYN-DAVIES of HASTOEMy Lords, may I say that we are most grateful to the noble Lord the Chief Whip for making the position clear again. I expect he will have to do it again and again. We heartily agree with his entirely correct description of what our practices are.