HL Deb 31 March 1980 vol 407 cc1186-8
The CHAIRMAN of COMMITTEES (Lord Aberdare)

My Lords, I beg to move that the House of Lords Offices Committee Report be agreed to. I think that I should draw your Lordships' attention to two items in the report. The first is Item 2 dealing with the Refreshment Department, and the second is Item 3 dealing with Facilities for Members of the European Parliament.

So far as the Refreshment Department is concerned, the transfer of staff to the House of Lords Vote became essential once a similar decision had been taken in another place. I think that your Lordships will be pleased to hear that the result of this transfer will be wholly to the advantage of the staff of the Refreshment Department who are very loyal and hard working. I think it is a very good thing that they should now be properly remunerated and their pensions considerably improved.

So far as Facilities for Members of the European Parliament are concerned, as your Lordships know we have debated this matter before and the general decision taken has been to keep in step with another place. Now the position is that the Services Committee in another place has taken a decision and recommended limited access for Members of the European Parliament to areas of the House of Commons. Therefore, the Offices Committee in your Lordships' House thought it appropriate to make a recommendation to this House for limited facilities here. The recommended access that is in the report has been suggested as that which is most likely to facilitate working between the Members of the European Parliament and our own European Communities Committee. I beg to move.

Moved, That the Fifth Report from the Select Committee be agreed to.—(Lord Aberdare.)

The Report 'my as follows:

1. LIBRARY

The report from the Library Sub-Committee for the year 1979 was laid before the Committee and approved.

2. REREESHMENT DEPARTMENT

The Committee were informed that the Treasury had agreed, in principle, to the transfer of the Refreshment Department's employees to the Parliament Office with effect front 1st April, 1980, and to the staff costs, including provision for superannuation, being borne on the House of Lords Vote from that date.

The Committee agreed, subject to a review of the arrangements at the end of 1980, that the extra staff costs falling on the Vote should be met from the receipts of the Rreshment Department that will be surrendered as Appropriations-in-Aid.

The Committee agreed rates of pay for the staff and authorised provision for their payment from 1st April, 1980.

3. FACILITIES FOR MEMBERS OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

The Committee recommend that, on a trial basis, United Kingdom Members of the European Parliament be granted access to the Peers' Lobby, the Galleries of the House, the Committee Corridor and to the offices of the European Communities Committee.

4. INSURANCE FOR LORDS

The Committee recommend, in principle, that provision for accident insurance cover should be made for Lords whilst engaged on Parliamentary duty in the United Kingdom.

5. PARLIAMENT OFFICE

The Committee were informed of the secondment of Mr. M. G. Pownall as Secretary to the Leader of the House and Government Chief Whip, in the place of Mr. C. H. Cumming-Bruce who is resigning.

6. HANSARD REPORTING STAFF

The Committee were informed of the arrangements made for the temporary secondment of reporting staff from the Northern Ireland Assembly and authorised provision for the payment to them of travelling expenses and subsistence, etc.

7. HOUSE. OF LORDS FEES

The Committee approved proposals for charging for the cost of supplying certain information or records.

8. PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATIONS TO INTERNATIONAL ASSEMBLIES

The Committee authorised provision for the payment of travelling expenses and subsistence to staff who provide secretarial services to Parliamentary Delegates when abroad.

9. NEWS SERVICE

The Committee approved payment of a share of an increased subscription for the Teleprinter News Service.

10. SUPERANNUATION

The Committee were notified of the following awards:—

  1. (a) Revised pension and lump sum to Mr. F. J. Dine. Attendant, who finally retired on 6th March, 1980.
  2. (b) Short Service payment to Lt. Commander D. E. Brock, Staff Superintendent, who resigned on 12th March, 1980.

Lord ELWYN-JONES

My Lords, what is the nature of the facilities that are being granted in this House and in the environs of the House to these distinguished visitors?

Lord ABERDARE

My Lords, if the noble and learned Lord had actually read the report which we are now discussing he would have seen that it is to grant them access to the Peers' Lobby, the Galleries of the House, the Committee Corridor and to the offices of the European Communities Committee.

Lord LEATHERLAND

My Lords, can the noble Lord tell us what will happen if these gentlemen find themselves thirsty and want to buy a bottle of lemonade?

Lord ABERDARE

My Lords, I am glad to say that the Services Committee in another place has recommended that they should have access to the Strangers' Cafeteria.

On Question, Motion agreed to.