§ 3.5 p.m.
§ Lord BelsteadMy Lords, in response to a request from the noble Lord the Leader of the Opposition which was made on Monday I undertook to make a Statement on the debate on the humble Address in the new Session. Following consultation through the usual channels it has been agreed that there shall be an additional day of debate. This will take place, by agreement, on Monday 27th November when the subject will be the environment, agriculture and food. It flows from this that the subject of the last day of debate on Tuesday 28th November will be the economy. The subjects for the first two days of the debate will remain the same; that is, foreign affairs and defence on Wednesday 22nd November and home, health and social affairs on Thursday 23rd November.
§ Lord Cledwyn of PenrhosMy Lords, on behalf of my noble friends, and also on behalf of noble Lords throughout the House, I should like to thank the noble Lord the Leader of the House for acceding so readily to our request.
§ Lord TordoffMy Lords, perhaps may join in those thanks to the noble Lord the Leader of the House. On behalf of Leaders and Whips generally, I should like to express our sorrow to those people who have been inconvenienced by a decision which 1319 means that they are now likely to wish to speak on Monday rather than Tuesday. It is our belief that there are not many such people; however, some will probably be inconvenienced. Those involved in the usual channels, and others, are sorry that this has happened. Nevertheless, I am sure that the result we have achieved will suit the majority.
§ Lord Hatch of LusbyMy Lords, while warmly welcoming the Statement just made by the noble Lord the Leader of the House and thanking him for his response, perhaps I may draw to his attention the fact that some Members on all sides of the House have been concerned for many years about the lumping together in the first debate on the humble Address of foreign affairs and defence. It is not simply a question of the mixing up of those two subjects; it is also a question of the length of the speakers' list. The proceedings have regularly continued until 10.30 to 11 p.m. The lateness of the hour has caused many noble Lords to withdraw their names from the list. In future years would the noble Lord be prepared to look at the possibility of separating the two subjects and perhaps adding a fifth day to the debate on the humble Address?
§ Lord BelsteadMy Lords, the Statement I made today was the result of agreement between the usual channels, including all parties in the House as well as Members on the Cross Benches who were represented by the noble Baroness the Convener of the Cross Benches. There was no agreement that we should travel down the road to which the noble Lord, Lord Hatch, is trying to direct my attention. As I said, it has been agreed that there shall be an additional day of debate. This was as far as we agreed to go.
Perhaps I may stress the point made by the noble Lord, Lord Tordoff: it is most important. When changes are made there are bound to be people who will be inconvenienced. Through the Government Whip's Office we have been getting in touch with people whom we thought might be inconvenienced to see whether we could sort matters out for them.