HL Deb 16 March 1992 vol 536 cc1568-9
The Chairman of Committees (Lord Aberdare)

My Lords, I beg to move that the Third Report from the Select Committee on House of Lords' Offices be agreed to.

Moved, That the Third Report from the Select Committee be agreed to. (HL Paper 56)—(The Chairman of Committees.)

Following is the report:

1. Parliamentary computer network. The Committee has been informed of plans for a parliamentary computer network for members and staff of both Houses of Parliament. The Library and Computers Sub-Committee has recommended that the network should be jointly planned between the two Houses and that as a first step a network should be installed in the Phase 1 and 7 Millbank buildings. Possible services to be provided on the network include electronic mail throughout the parliamentary estate, access to POLIS and other internal and external databases, fax and word processing facilities and TV, radio and annunciator signals. The Committee has approved expenditure on the provision of the first stage of the network. No decision has been taken on whether to proceed beyond this first stage.

2. Library Services during dissolution. The Committee has taken note with approval of a proposal from the Library and Computers Sub-Committee that from the dissolution of Parliament until the day of the election itself Library facilities should be restricted as follows—

  1. (a) Peers should not use the Library for electoral purposes.
  2. (b) Peers may use the Library for reading and writing and the loan of books only.
  3. (c) Peers' research assistants should be excluded.
  4. (d) Services for the Law Lords should be provided as normal.

3. Delegation of financial authority. The Committee has endorsed proposals put forward by the Clerk of Parliaments for—

  1. (a) delegation of financial authority, within prescribed limits, to designated budget holders on the staff of the House;
  2. (b) the proposed budgets for these budget holders for the year 1992–93, and for expenditure on financial management training for budget holders and their staff;
  3. (c) a scheme of contractual delegations within the Parliamentary Directorate of Works.

4. Her Majesty's Stationery Office. The Committee has approved—

  1. (a) the terms of a proposed supply and services agreement between the House of Lords and HMSO;
  2. (b) the payment by the House of Lords of a 22 per cent. share of the cost of "dead time" of the Hansard and Parliamentary presses during dissolutions of Parliament.

5. International assemblies in 1992–93. The Committee has approved provision—

  1. (a) towards the cost of a meeting of the European Centre for Parliamentary Research and Documentation (ECPRD) Thesaurus Working Group proposed to be held in London during the financial year 1992–93.
  2. (b) towards the cost of a Conference of European Affairs Committees of European Community Member States proposed to be held in London during the United Kingdom Presidency in the second half of 1992.
  3. (c) to meet the travelling and subsistence costs of Lords members of a proposed Parliamentary Assembly of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE).
The Committee has also approved in principle that provision should be made towards the cost of a Conference of Parliaments of the European Community to be held in the second half of 1992 during the United Kingdom Presidency of the Council of Ministers.

6. Revised scales of pay and allowances. The Committee has approved—

  1. (a) increases in the salaries of the Chairman and Principal Deputy Chairman of Committees;
  2. (b) revised late night allowances to permanent Hansard reporting staff and revised attendance fees to temporary Hansard reporters.

7. Parliament Office. The Committee has been informed of the following appointments— Miss H E McCauley as Library Clerk from 2 March 1992; Mr. D L Prior as Assistant Clerk of the Records from 1 April 1992. The Committee has also been informed of the promotion of Mr. S P Burton to Senior Clerk and the secondment from 1 April of Mr. E C Ollard to succeed Mr. D F Slater as Private Secretary to the Leader of the House and Government Chief Whip. The Committee has approved the extension of a temporary Clerical Officer post in the Accountant's Office to 30 June 1992.

8. Superannuation. The Committee has been informed of the following awards made under the House of Lords Staff Pension Scheme—

  1. (i) death benefit to the personal representative of Mr. W Arthur, former Attendant, who died on 12 September 1991;
  2. (ii) pension and lump sum to Mrs J M Tonks, Cleaner, who retired on 30 November 1991;
  3. (iii) pension and lump sum to Mrs. D V Simmonds, General Assistant, who retired on 20 December 1991;
  4. (iv) pension and lump sum to Mrs. M R Fisher, Personal Secretary, who retired on 24 December 1991;
  5. (v) pension and lump sum to Air Chief Marshall Sir John Gingell, GBE, KCB, KCVO, Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod, who retired on 13 January 1992;
  6. (iv) pension and lump sum to Mrs. I M Heyhood, General Assistant, who retired on 6 February 1992.

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