Business (Hansard, 15 April 1981)

§ Lord Wells-Pestell
My Lords, with the permission of the House, I should like to ask the noble Lord the Chief Whip of the Government whether, in the event of any Statements being made in another place this afternoon it will be possible to make arrangements for those Statements to be taken here before this House rises. They could be Statements of great significance; of considerable importance to Members on this side of the House as to Members on the other side of the House. Looking at the business I am not unmindful that we may not go on for more than two or three hours but, if I may say so with great respect, I feel that suitable arrangements ought to be made for those Statements to be taken here in the event of their being made in another place.

§ Lord Denham
My Lords, of course I should like to do anything that is for the convenience of your Lordships' House, and I think on this occasion it is a question of achieving the right balance. On the one hand, it would be wrong to deprive your Lordships of having the repetition made of important Statements and, on the other hand, I think probably if the House were to rise very early it would be wrong to expect your Lordships to return after a rather protracted adjournment. Perhaps the right sort of balance might be if any Statement that is to be made is likely to be made at no longer gap than half an hour away, that would be the right sort of time to suggest that the House should adjourn for a short period. When we know whether Statements are to be made and what they are to be, perhaps we could discuss through the usual channels whether that course should be adopted.

§ Lord Byers
My Lords, I wonder whether the noble Lord can indicate the likely subject matters of these Statements? Most of us are in the dark.

§ Lord Denham
My Lords, if I may make inquiries as to the likelihood of the Statements being made and the subject matter, the noble Lord is indeed one of the usual channels and perhaps we could discuss this in the normal way.

§ Lord Wells-Pestell
My Lords, I assume that it would be very improper for me to inform the House accordingly. I accept that it is not certain whether the two 991 Statements will be taken, but I think that we on this side of the House would recognise that if this House finished, say, at half-past two or before three o'clock it would perhaps be unreasonable to ask Members to stay, but if the House is still sitting at three o'clock I do not think it would be unreasonable. But I would hope that long before then—by one o'clock—the noble Lord the Chief Whip will indicate whether two Statements are being taken in another place and what they are likely to be.

§ Lord Denham
My Lords, I will keep the usual channels constantly informed.

§ Lord Wells-Pestell
My Lords, I am so sorry to prolong this matter. It is not the usual channels that matter in this case; it is informing the House whether Statements will be made in another place and the nature of those Statements. I want the noble Lord to inform the House.

§ Lord Denham
My Lords, of course I am in the hands of the House on that. If your Lordships would like me to rise at whatever the time might be and say that such-and-such a Statement is to be made in another place, and if the House is still sitting as late as whatever time has been agreed we will then repeat the Statement, I will certainly do so—if that is the wish of the House. I should have thought that it would be better to do it in the normal way through the usual channels, but of course I am in the hands of the House.