London Docklands Railway (City Extension) Bill (Hansard, 15 October 1986)

§ The Chairman of Committees (Lord Aberdare)
My Lords, I beg to move the Motion that stands in my name on the Order Paper. The purpose of this Motion is to allow the Select Committee to hear evidence from people other than the promoters of the Bill and those who petitioned against it. Your Lordships will remember that last July the House agreed to an Instruction to the Select Committee to have regard to the consequences of the Bill on the South-East Region and on the City of London in particular. It is on those points that the committee wishes to have the opportunity of sharing other evidence. My Lords. I beg to move.
Moved, That the Select Committee to whom the Bill is committed may hear evidence other than that tendered by the parties entitled to be heard—(The Chairman of Committees.)

§ Lord Taylor of Blackburn
My Lords, although I do not offer any objection to this request, I should like to ask the Chairman of Committees two questions. First, how many people have made requests, other than the petitioners, to give evidence before the committee? Secondly, what notice has been given to other people who thought that they were not entitled to this privilege?

§ The Chairman of Committees
My Lords, the answer to the noble Lord's first question is that a letter was written from those MPs who represent the area which is covered by the Bill. Also a letter has been received on behalf of the Docklands Consultative Committee. Therefore, two sets of people have taken the initiative of writing in and asking to be heard. Other people have not done so, despite the fact that the Select Committee has been set up, and everybody was duly informed that it was being set up, to consider the matter.

§ Lord Taylor of Blackburn
My Lords, will the Chairman of Committees clarify the point? I take it that there are three people involved: two MPs and the chairman of a consultative committee or a people's committee in that area?

§ The Chairman of Committees
Yes, my Lords, that is correct. Two MPs are being heard, with Mr. Fred Jones on behalf of the Docklands Consultative Committee.

§ Lord Boyd-Carpenter
My Lords, is the noble Lord the Lord Chairman able to say whether there is any connection between this Motion and the long list of petitions which have been withdrawn against the Bill and which appear on the front page of today's Minutes of Proceedings? Secondly, is the noble Lord able to say whether this is a very unusual procedure, or is it one frequently adopted?

§ The Chairman of Committees
My Lords, it is true that there were a number of petitions— 15 in all. The committee has been sitting for the last few days and all of those petitions have now been withdrawn. The decision to see other people who are not parties to the Bill itself was taken because there was an Instruction from this House. When there is an Instruction from the House to the committee, the committee has to make a special report. In order that it could make a special report it felt the need to see the other people who had asked to be seen. It is a perfectly normal procedure.