§ The Chairman of Committees (Lord Ampthill)My Lords, I beg to move the Motion standing in my name on the Order Paper. The House may wish to have a brief explanation of these proposed amendments to Private Business Standing Orders.
The amendments to Standing Order 27 have been requested by the Association of County Archivists. The Standing Order requires that plans relating to Private Bills be deposited in duplicate with the proper officer of each county, metropolitan district or London borough, and includes the provision that one copy,
shall be sealed up and retained in the possession of the proper officer or chief executive with whom it was deposited",until called for by order of this House or the House of Commons.While the archivists would be happy to maintain their obligation to keep a copy for public inspection, they regard the retention of a sealed copy, which by definition cannot be unsealed for inspection, as an uneconomic use of scarce shelf space to nobody's benefit. The Chairman of Ways and Means and I agree with them.
The amendment to Standing Order 39 would have the effect of substituting for the Department of Energy, which no longer exists, the Department of National Heritage in the list of those departments at which copies of all new Private Bills must be deposited.
§ Moved, That the Standing Orders relating to Private Business be amended as follows—
- Standing Order 27
- Line 14, leave out ("in duplicate")
- Line 18, leave out ("in duplicate")
- Line 64, leave out paragraph (5)
- Standing Order 39
§ Line 9, leave out ("Energy") and insert ("National Heritage") (The Chairman of Committees.)
§ On Question, Motion agreed to.