HL Deb 19 April 1982 vol 429 cc385-6
The Chairman of Committees (Lord Aberdare)

My Lords, I beg to move that the Second Report from the Select Committee on the House of Lords Offices be agreed to.

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

The Report was as follows:

1. Television Documentary Film on the Palace of Westminster

The Committee have considered a request from the BBC to produce a series of films about the history, art, architecture and work of the Palace of Westminster. They agreed this request subject to the same conditions as were set for the BBC "Nationwide" series of programmes.

2. Library

A Report from the Library Sub-Committee for the year 1981 was laid before the Committee.

3. Staff of the House

A Report from the Sub-Committee on the Staff of the House was received.

4. Photograph of the House in Session

The Committee considered the provisional arrangements that had been made to photograph the House while in session and asked the Administration Sub-Committee to finalise the details.

5. Works of Art

The Committee agreed to a recommendation from the Works of Art Sub-Committee that a bust should be commissioned of Lord Home of the Hirsel. The Chairman of Committees was asked to consider ways in which the project could be financed.

6. Counsel to the Chairman of Committees

The Committee were informed of the retirement on 1st June of Sir Charles Sopwith and the appointment of Mr. Karl Newman, C.B., to the post of Second Counsel to the Chairman of Committees and Legal Adviser to the European Communities Committee.

The Committee authorised a revision in the remuneration paid to the first Counsel for duties as Legal Adviser to the Ecclesiastical Committee and the appointment of an additional Personal Secretary.

7. Parliamentary Delegations

The Committee approved provision for the payment of revised subsistence allowances.

8. Hansard Reporting Staff

The Committee approved revised payments to Editors and Reporters for late night duties and to transcribers.

9. Computer Developments

The Committee were informed that Mr. R. S. Morgan would continue as Computer Development Officer to the Houses of Parliament for a further period of five years from 11th December 1982.

10. Superannuation

The Committee were notified of the following awards:

  1. (a) Pension and lump sum to Mr. W. C. F. Kirke, Principal Doorkeeper, who retired on 31st March 1982
  2. (b) Preserved pension and lump sum to Miss S. D. F. Johns, Personal Secretary, who resigned on 20th March 1981
  3. (c) Pension and lump sum to Mr. D. P. Nicholls, Attendant, who retired on 1st February 1982
  4. (d) Pension and lump sum to Mrs. C. Mason, Cleaner, who formally retired on 1st March 1982
  5. (e) Short service payment to Mr. T. R. Davies, Clerical Officer, who resigned on 12th March 1982
  6. (f) Supplementary death benefit to personal representative of Mrs. K. H. Allen (deceased), former Cleaner, who died on 25th May 1981
  7. (g) Transfer value payment to Government Communications Bureau in respect of Mrs. I. L. Chesney, Cleaner, who resigned on 13th April 1980.

Lord Balfour of Inchrye

My Lords, I should like to raise one question on this report. No doubt your Lordships have all read it, but just in case one or two of your Lordships have not read it, paragraph 4 states: Photograph of the House in Session. The Committee considered the provisional arrangements that had been made to photograph the House while in Session and asked the Administration Sub-Committee to finalise the details". This is a matter which affects the whole House. The whole House is interested in it and, so far as I know, what we shall next hear are the actual details of the occasion.

Surely, the House should know a little more about the intentions behind this particular operation. The decision has been taken and the details of it have been decentralised to the appropriate sub-committee. I suggest that it would be fairer to the general body of Members of this House if we knew in advance some details of the occasion on which it is proposed that the House should be photographed in session. Is it to be a great occasion, is it to be a special occasion or what is it? Is the House to be in Committee or is the House to be sitting?

I think that it would be right for the general information of the House if, when the appropriate sub-committee has considered its proposals in detail, these were notified to the House before the occasion takes place. I suggest that, either in some form of Statement or some form of information through the Library, we should know something more than just this blank statement that a decision has been taken and decentralised to the appropriate sub-committee.

Lord Aberdare

My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Balfour of Inchrye, for bringing this matter to our attention. The proposal of a photograph of the House in session was contained in a previous report from the Offices Committee and the House agreed to it in principle. We are now working on the details and I most certainly undertake that, when the details are finalised, they will undoubtedly be brought to your Lordships' attention, because I imagine that as many of your Lordships as possible would like to be in the photograph. It is for that reason that we are, in fact, trying to have it arranged on two different Thursdays, possibly a few weeks apart, so as to suit the convenience of as many of your Lordships as possible. But I certainly undertake that there will be full publicity before any final details are agreed.

On Question, Motion agreed to.