HL Deb 28 October 1993 vol 549 cc935-6

The Lord Privy Seal (Lord Wakeham) rose to move, That the second report from the Select Committee he agreed to.

The noble Lord said: My Lords, I beg to move the Motion standing in my name on the Order Paper.

Since the Liaison Committee's first report was agreed to by the House last December, the committee has met further to consider in particular the issue of an ad hoc committee which might succeed the current ad hoc Committee on Medical Ethics. As indicated the report before the House today, the committee recommend that the next such ad hoc committee should consider the subject of sustainable development, and in particular the proposed national sustainable development strategy which the Government will submit by the end of this year to the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development. Should your Lordships agree to this proposal, I anticipate that appropriate terms of reference will be put before your Lordships in the new Session. I anticipate that the new committee will begin its work in the New Year.

Perhaps I may emphasise that, should any of your Lordships have a proposal for an ad hoc committee upon some specific subject, we on the committee would be grateful to hear of it.

Moved, That the second report from the Select Committee be agreed to.—(Lord Wakeharn.)

Following is the report:

  1. 1. The committee has given further consideration to two possible subjects for ad hoc enquiries, namely
    1. (i) the economics of sustainable development, and
    2. (ii) relations between central and local government.
    We recommend the appointment of an ad hoc committee to consider the report which the Government will make by the end of 1993 to the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development, setting out a national sustainable development strategy. The ad hoc committee should be appointed after the Committee on Medical Ethics has made its report to the House and should be invited to make its own report to the House before the end of next session (1993–94).
  2. 2. We will give further consideration in the course of next session to the possibility of an ad hoc committee to consider relations between central and local government.
  3. 3. The committee also recommends, pursuant to paragraph 12 of its first report, that the Science and Technology Committee should be able to appoint two sub-committees next session.
  4. 4. Finally, the committee confirms that Members of the House may submit proposals for the appointment of ad hoc committees into specific matters. Such submissions should be made to the Clerk of the Liaison Committee, Committee Office, House of Lords.

On Question, Motion agreed to.