HL Deb 21 December 1989 vol 514 cc350-3

11.41 a.m.

The Chairman of Committees

My Lords, I beg to move that the first report from the House of Lords Offices Committee be agreed to. Perhaps I may draw the attention of your Lordships to two items in this report. With regard to item 4, the committee recommends that during Committee and Report stages seating should be provided on an experimental basis in the clerks' box for up to three advisers to those Peers who sit on the Opposition Front Benches. Hitherto, advisers to the Front Benches opposite have been located below Bar and there have been various difficulties with that arrangement. The recommendation is that up to three advisers should be able to sit in the clerks' box, which is the one immediately opposite the civil servants' box and which is not usually very fully occupied by the clerks during Committee and Report stages. I hope that your Lordships will agree to that experiment.

The other matter is item 7 relating to insurance for noble Lords. I have been asked by various members of the committee particularly to make known to your Lordships that this insurance policy exists. It is a personal accident insurance policy and covers Members of the House against the risk of death or injury on days on which they are engaged on parliamentary business within the precincts of the Palace of Westminster or at ministries or other government-owned premises in London, including transit between and while at ministries outside London. I hope that this scheme will not be of great use to any noble Lords present. However, I thought your Lordships should know about it. beg to move.

Moved, That the 1st Report from the Select Committee be agreed to. [HL Paper 14]. —(The Chairman of Committees.)

The Report was as follows:

1 Appointment of Sub-Committees

The following members of the Committee were appointed to the Sub-Committes:

(a) Library Sub-Committee

With the Clerk of the Parliaments.

With power to co-opt further Lords.

(b) Refreshment Department Sub-Committee

With the Clerk of Parliaments.

With power to co-opt further Lords.

(c) Works of Art Sub-Committee

With the Clerk of Parliaments.

With power to co-opt further Lords.

(d) Computer Sub-Committee

With the Clerk of Parliaments.

With power to co-opt further Lords.

(e) Staff of the House Sub-Committee

With the Clerk of Parliaments and the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod.

With power to co-opt further Lords.

(f) Finance Sub-Committee

With the Clerk of Parliaments.

With power to co-opt further Lords.

(g) Administration Sub-Committee

With the Clerk of Parliaments and the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod.

With power to co-opt further Lords.

2 Gentleman Usher of the Black Road.

The Committee were informed of the wishes of the Administration Sub-Committee to retain for a further two years the services of Black Rod, Sir John Gingell, as their agent after his present appointment expires on 13th January 1990.

3 Security

The Committee approved an increase in the complement of the security force for the Palace of Westminster.

4 Accommodation in the Chamber for Opposition Research Staff

The Committee recommend that during Committee of the whole House and Report stages seating should be provided on an experimental basis in the clerks' box for up to three advisers to those Peers who sit on the Opposition front benches.

5 Staff of the House

A report from the Staff of the House Sub-Committee was made to the Committee who agreed to —

  1. (a) a one year extension for the two temporary word processor operator posts in the Hansard Office;
  2. (b) an allowance for a Higher Executive Officer for a period of up to nine months during the introduction of a computer in the Accountant's Office;
  3. (c) a temporary additional Executive Officer post in place of a Clerical Officer/Senior Clerical Officer post in the Printed Paper Office until 23rd June 1990;
  4. (d) the creation of an additional post for a sandwich student for the academic year 1990–91; and
  5. (e) an additional general assistant for the staff canteen in the Refreshment Department.

6 Parliament Office

The Committee were informed of the appintment of Mr. N. J. Adamson CB QC, as Assistant Counsel to the Chairman of Committees in place of Mr. G. A. Preston who has retired.

The Committee were also informed of the impending retirement of Mr. L. A. Ketcher MBE, Senior Executive Officer in the Private Bill Office after 40 years service in the House of Lords. The Committee expressed their warm appreciation of Mr. Ketcher's long and valuable service to the House.

7 Insurance for Lords

The Committee approved an increase in the personal accident insurance cover for Lords whilst engaged in Parliamentary duty.

8 Revised scales of pay and allowances

The Committee confirmed the application of the following Civil Service memoranda to staff of the House of Lords:—

  1. (a) DEO letter dated 21st July 1989. (Subsistence and Meal Allowances)
  2. (b) DEO letter dated 22nd September 1989. (Substitution pay for part-time staff)
  3. (c) DEO letter dated 24th October 1989. (New age pay arrangements for Clerical Staff)
  4. (d) DEO letter dated 31st October 1989. (Pay of Grades 4, 5, 6 and 7)
  5. (e) CM/890 (Pay of staff linked to IPMS Grades)
  6. (f) GM/445 (Fees to Specialist Advisers)
  7. (g) IM 86/6 (Split Duty Allowance for Industrial Staff)
  8. (h) IM 89/3 (Industrial Staff Pay)
  9. (i) IM 89/6 (London Weighting for Industrial Staff)

9 Official Shorthand Writer

The Committee authorised a revised scale of fees for the Shorthand Writer.

10 Computer Development Office

The Committee were informed of a proposal to increase the complement of the Computer Development Office and authorised payment of a proportion of the cost.

11 Superannuation

The Committee were notified of the following awards made under the House of Lords Staff Pension Scheme:—

  1. (a) Pension and lump sum to Mr G. A. Preston, Assistant Counsel who retired on 1st October 1989.
  2. (b) Lump sum death benefit to the personal representative of Mr. R. L. Harmer, Senior Clerical Officer who died on 14th March 1988.
  3. (c) Pension and lump sum to Mrs. J. W. Farley, Cleaner who retired on 23rd September 1989.
  4. (d) Pension and lump sum to Mrs. B. T. McBreen, Cleaner who retired on 28th October 1989.
  5. (e) Pension and lump sum to Mrs. L. B. Pearson, Cleaner who retired on 7th October 1989.
  6. (f) Transfer value payment to the British Telecom Plc New Pension Scheme in respect of Mrs. S. L. A. Langdon, Chef de Partie who resigned on 30th October 1989.
  7. (g) Revised pension and lump sum to Mrs. E. E. Rudd, Cleaner who retired on 17th November 1989.
  8. (h) Revised pension and lump sum to Mrs. L. H. Diedrick, Cleaner who retired on 29th April 1989.
  9. (i) Preserved pension and lump sum to Mrs. H. M. Jelley, Cleaner who resigned on 31st October 1986.
  10. (j) Preserved pension and lump sum to Mrs. M. J. Steels, Clerical Officer who resigned on 4th December 1987.
  11. (k) Preserved pension and lump sum to Mrs. C. A. Lang, Senior Personal Secretary who resigned on 23rd May 1986.
  12. (l) Notional transfer value in respect of Mrs. A. Mossop, Executive Officer who transferred to the House of Commons on 27th June 1988.

On Question, Motion agreed to.