HL Deb 18 October 1988 vol 500 cc1015-6

3.9 p.m.

The Lord Privy Seal (Lord Belstead)

My Lords, I beg to move the Motion standing in my name on the Order Paper.

The purpose of this Motion is to enable legislation to be taken before Motions for debate on Wednesdays for the remainder of this Session. Your Lordships will recall that a similar Motion suspending Standing Order No. 38 was agreed to by the House on 14th June which had effect up to the Summer Recess. The Motion now before your Lordships has the effect of continuing the suspension of the Standing Order until the end of this Session. I beg to move.

Moved, That Standing Order No. 38 (Arrangement of the Order Paper) be suspended for the remainder of the Session so far as is necessary to give Her Majesty's Government power to arrange the order of business.—(Lord Belstead.)

Lord Jenkin of Roding

My Lords, can my noble friend tell me whether this Motion will allow him to rearrange the business of the House in order to give me an opportunity to answer the personal attack made on me yesterday by the noble Lord, Lord Ennals, of which he gave me no advance notice whatever? Would he not allow me to explain that, so far from hushing up the Black Report, I sent copies of it to every single newspaper, medical journal and social service journal throughout the country and that his accusation is not only false but, I am afraid, offensive?

Lord Belstead

My Lords, my noble friend asked me a question but I think it would perhaps be best if my noble friend and I had a word outside the Chamber.

Lord Ennals

My Lords, may I say a word?

Lord Taylor of Blackburn

My Lords, can the Leader of the House say whether this will give him the opportunity of announcing as quickly as possible the date of the State Opening of Parliament so that we can make arrangements in good time?

Lord Belstead

My Lords, we shall certainly announce the date of the State Opening of Parliament as soon as possible.

Lord Ennals

My Lords, if the intervention by the noble Lord, Lord Jenkin of Roding, is about courtesy, I have already written to the noble Lord in a conciliatory sense, in advance of Question Time today. If the question raised by the noble Lord is about what actually happened in 1979, I am happy to justify precisely what I said yesterday.

Lord Belstead

My Lords, to conclude this matter, the procedure for making a personal statement is always available to my noble friend Lord Jenkin of Roding.

On Question, Motion agreed to.