§ 3.55 p.m.
Lord CAMPBELL of CROYMy Lords, I rise with your Lordships' permission to raise very briefly a question of obstruction outside your Lordships' House which has arisen in the last 40 minutes. The whole of the road between Vauxhall Bridge, the Embankment, Millbank, through to this House has been occupied by a long procession with banners, a demonstration which has had the effect of obstructing access to your Lordships' House. It has been sealed off and I have had great difficulty in reaching the House by 2.45. Surely demonstrations are in order in this 1050 country of demonstrators visiting this House, but it must be wrong if they have the effect of sealing off roads and preventing your Lordships and Members of the other House from reaching here by Question Time.
It may be said by some of your Lordships that I should have got out of my car and walked, or run, but I happen to be disabled and, as some of your Lordships know, cannot walk more than a few yards. There are many others in your Lordships' House and in another place who are in the same category. I do hope that something can be done to prevent this kind of thing in future.
The MINISTER of STATE, MINISTRY of AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES and FOOD (Earl Ferrers)My Lords, I think that the noble Lord, Lord Campbell of Croy, must have had an unfortunate experience because I happened to come here fairly late, too, and was not so obstructed, but perhaps I was lucky. Certainly if noble Lords are obstructed and prevented from coming to your Lordships' House it is a serious matter, but of course it is one for the police. Each Session we have an order which prevents stoppages in the street. Such an order is minuted at the beginning of each Session. It was so minuted at the beginning of this Session. However, I will ask Black Rod to take account of what my noble friend Lord Campbell of Croy has said, ask him to look into the complaint and see what he can suggest as a result.