§ The Chairman of Committees (Lord Aberdare)My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Windlesham, will be moving the Second Reading of the Lloyd's Bill on Thursday, 1st April. In view of the fact that I am a member of Lloyd's, it would not be appropriate for me to discharge the usual duties of the Chairman of Committees with respect to this particular Private Bill. In these circumstances, I have asked the noble Earl, Lord Listowel, to act on my behalf throughout the progress of the Bill, and he has kindly agreed. Not only is the noble Earl my distinguished predecessor as Chairman of Committees, but this year marks his fiftieth year of service to this House. I hope these arrangements will commend themselves to your Lordships.
§ Lord PeartMy Lords, may I thank the noble Lord the Chairman of Committees for his remarks about the noble Earl, Lord Listowel. Last Monday was indeed the fiftieth anniversary of the noble Earl's maiden speech, and that, my Lords, is a splendid record. We on these Benches have always looked upon the noble Earl with pride and affection.
§ Baroness YoungMy Lords, I am sure the whole House will wish to thank the noble Lord, Lord Aberdare, for making his statement. I should also like to thank the noble Earl, Lord Listowel, for agreeing to act on behalf of the Chairman of Committees. He has done this with the customary willingness which we have all come to expect from him over the years; and I, too, would join in paying tribute to the many years he has served this House, both in and out of Government and as Chairman of Committees.
My Lords, this may also be an appropriate opportunity for me to make a brief statement as Leader of the House about the Lloyd's Bill, because I am conscious that there are a number of noble Lords who are members of Lloyd's and who are anxious to have guidance as to how they should conduct themselves in relation to the Bill. I am sure that all noble Lords will agree that the two Houses should keep in step in this matter. In the Commons the Speaker gave his opinion that a Member of that House who was a member of Lloyd's should not vote on the Bill, in view of the risk that his vote would be disallowed on the ground of his direct pecuniary interest. However, there is, of course, no comparable procedure in this House for disallowing votes, although in the words of Erskine May:
It is held that the personal honour of a Lord will prevent him from forwarding his own pecuniary interest by his votes in Parliament".967 In the circumstances, I would advise all Members of the House who are members of Lloyd's, to refrain from voting on the Bill during its passage in this House. I should add that what I have said applies only to voting. Members of the House who are members of Lloyd's may speak on the Bill or move amendments provided, of course, that they declare their interests in the usual way.
§ Lord WindleshamMy Lords, as the sponsor of the Bill, may I say that I fully endorse the recommendation that has been made by the Leader of the House as to how Peers who are members of Lloyd's should conduct themselves on this Bill. When the Bill is debated on Second Reading next week, I shall be advising those Peers who support the Bill to accept the guidance which has been given today by the Leader of the House.