§ The Chairman of Committees (Lord Aberdare)My Lords, I beg to move the Motion standing in my name on the Order Paper.
§ Moved, That the Sub-Committee on Computers appointed by the Select Committee on House of Lords Offices shall have power to join with any Sub-Committee thereof that may be appointed by the Select Committee of the House of Commons on House of Commons (Services); and
§ That any such Sub-Committee shall have leave to agree with the Commons on the appointment of a chairman for any joint meeting.—(Lord Aberdare.)
§ Lord ShinwellMy Lords, if I intervene on this item it is because I had contemplated putting down a Motion on the principle involved. I welcome the Motion. If the Chairman of Committees will permit me to offer an opinion—not advice, but an opinion; and I have every confidence in the Chairman of Committees—I welcome further consultation with those in another place. We ought to utilise the wisdom and also accept the authority of the other place; but they also have to recognise the wisdom and ability that resides in your Lordships' House. The more frequent are the meetings between both sides the better it will be for parliamentary democracy.
§ Lord AberdareMy Lords, I am sure the whole House will have heard with approval the words spoken by the noble Lord, Lord Shinwell. We would all welcome co-operation between the two Houses. On this occasion the initiative came from the other place, which invited the Lords committee to meet them over problems concerned with computers. The Lords subcommittee has been anxious to accept, and if your Lordships agree to this Motion it will be able to do so.
On Question, Motion agreed to; and it was ordered that a Message be sent to the Commons to acquaint them therewith.