§ 3.36 p.m.
§ Lord Diamond rose to move, That an Humble Address be presented to Her Majesty praying that Her Majesty may be graciously pleased to allow that Her undoubted Prerogative may not stand in the way of the consideration by Parliament during the present Session of any measure providing for an amendment of the law relating to hereditary peerages that may be introduced.
§ The noble Lord said: My Lords, I beg to move the Motion standing in my name on the Order Paper.
§ Although this is a formal matter perhaps it will be for the convenience of your Lordships if I say a word in explanation of the background. I hope to introduce in the autumn a short, one-clause Bill providing that a hereditary Peer may, if he so desires, petition Her Majesty to amend the Letters Patent creating that 1146 peerage so as to permit it to descend to the eldest child, whether male or female. Second Reading will provide the occasion for full debate on the substance of the Bill. That will be after the Recess. The Motion now before the House is, I am advised, a necessary preliminary. It seeks a consent which, I understand, is nowadays regarded as a formality. I commend the Motion to the House.
§ Moved, That an Humble Address be presented to Her Majesty praying that Her Majesty may be graciously pleased to allow that Her undoubted Prerogative may not stand in the way of the consideration by Parliament during the present Session of any measure providing for an amendment of the law relating to hereditary peerages that may be introduced.—(Lord Diamond.)
§ On Question, Motion agreed to, and it was ordered that the Address be presented by the Lords with White Staves.