HL Deb 16 June 1982 vol 431 cc631-3

2.45 p.m.

Lord Vaizey

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask the Leader of the House why the press release of the report of the Select Committee on Unemployment does not refer to the Lord Vaizey's dissent from the committee's recommendations.

The Lord Privy Seal (Baroness Young)

My Lords, the press release is the responsibility of the Select Committee. The practice of both Houses is clearly stated in Erskine May on pages 658–9 as follows: It is the opinion of the committee, as a committee, not that of individual members, which is required by the House, and, failing unanimity, the conclusions agreed to by the majority are the conclusions of the committee … If a member disagrees to certain paragraphs in the report, or to the entire report, he can record his disapproval by dividing the committee against those paragraphs to which he objects, or against the entire report, as the circumstances of the case require". I understand from the Minutes of Proceedings of the committee that the report was agreed with one Division; this occurred on a new clause proposed by the noble Lord, Lord Vaizey.

Lord Vaizey

My Lords, while thanking my noble friend for that reply, may I ask whether she is aware that, although the analysis of the problem caused no dissent, there is considerable disagreement about the action that needs to be taken and that some of us on the committee or, indeed, one of us on the committee actually took the Government's side? It might seem perhaps unusual in the circumstances, but it might perhaps be desirable in press releases to refer to the fact that the report was not, in fact, unanimous.

Baroness Young

My Lords, it is not for me to determine what the press release from the Select Committee should say. I think it only right that I should make it quite clear that the press release was the responsibility of the committee.

Lord Bruce of Donington

My Lords, is the noble Baroness aware that, from a cursory examination of the report that has been possible so far, it would appear to be a very valuable report indeed?

Baroness Young

My Lords, I have not myself had an opportunity to read the report, but, judging by the reports that I have seen in the press, I do not think that all of us will agree with everything that has been said in the report.

Viscount Eccles

My Lords, is the noble Baroness aware that I asked the noble Lord, Lord Vaizey, how he could possibly have signed the report and he said that he did not do so? Therefore, is she aware that I expected to see some of the arguments he adduced for not approving of all the recommendations? But, having heard what seems to me to be a very peculiar statement from Erskine May, I suppose that there is nothing that we can do about it.

Baroness Young

My Lords, in these matters I am guided entirely by the procedures that are laid down in Erskine May and it would not be right or proper for me to intervene in this matter. All the procedures were open to my noble friend Lord Vaizey who did not agree, I know, with many of the recommendations of the committee. Those procedures were open to him to introduce and to have recorded in the Minutes, as I have already indicated. However, the content of the press release was the business of the committee.