§ 3.6 p.m.
§ The Chairman of Committees (Lord Aberdare)My Lords, I beg to move the Motion standing in my name on the Order Paper.
§ Moved, That, as proposed by the Committee of Selection, the Lords following, with the Chairman of Committees, be named of the Select Committee on Televising the Proceedings of the House:
- Ardwick, L.
- Aylestone, L.
- Cathcart, E.
- Henderson of Brompton, L.
- Orr-Ewing, L.
- Phillips, B.
- Ponsonby of Shulbrede, L.
- Stoddart of Swindon, L.
- Swinton, E.
- Thomas of Swynnerton, L.
- Winstanley, L.
§ That the Committee have power to adjourn from place to place and to report from time to time;
§ That the Committee have power to appoint Specialist Advisers;
§ That the Minutes of Evidence taken before the Committee from time to time be printed and, if the Committee think fit, be delivered out;
§ That the Committee do meet on Wednesday the 19th of December at four o'clock.—(Lord Aberdare.)
§ Lord RentonMy Lords, I wonder whether I might ask the Lord Chairman why it is that those who voted against the Motion in favour of the experiment of televising the House seem to be so under-represented on this Committee? My noble friend Lord Thomas of Swynnerton voted against. It may be that one other did. It would, therefore, seem that they will be heavily outnumbered. I wonder why this is so. Can the noble Lord explain?
§ Lord AberdareMy Lords, the House accepted by a handsome majority the recommendations of the Committee on Sound Broadcasting. That recommendation was that the committee itself should be enlarged to take in representatives of the Front Benches and the Cross-Benches. That would have been sufficient to satisfy the vote. In fact, it was decided, in view of the discussions that took place on the Motion, that we should add two representatives of those who had voted against the Motion. As the noble Lord has pointed out, those two people are now on the Committee. In general, I am certain that whether any of your Lordships voted for or against this particular Motion they are perfectly capable of exercising their critical facilities to make sure whether the experiment is a success or not.
§ On Question, Motion agreed to.