Standing Orders (Public Business) (Hansard, 16 December 1994)

§ The Chairman of Committees (Lord Boston of Faversham)
My Lords, I beg to move the Motion standing in my name on the Order Paper.
The Motion incorporates several amendments to Standing Orders, all of which are consequent upon recommendations made in the second and fourth reports from the Procedure Committee last Session. As the House has already agreed to those reports, I shall not explain the changes in detail unless any noble Lord wishes me to do so.
1479 I should mention that if the House agrees to the Motion, it is proposed that the Standing Orders should be reprinted in their amended form. At the same time, new editions of the Companion to the Standing Orders and a brief guide to the procedure and practice of the House of Lords will be produced. I beg to move.
Moved, That the Standing Orders relating to public business be amended as follows:
Standing Order 37
At beginning insert "Except as provided in Standing Order No. 40(3),".
Standing Order 38
After paragraph (5) insert— (5A) Any motion relating to a report from the Delegated Powers Scrutiny Committee on a draft order laid under section 1 of the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994 shall be entered before a motion to approve that draft order. In paragraph (6), leave out "and (5)" and insert ", (5) and (5A)".
Standing Order 40
At end insert— (3) Business may, on motion, be postponed to later that same day without notice: provided that the question shall not be put on any such motion if a single Lord objects. Standing Order 62
After "Consolidation Bills Committee" insert— Delegated Powers Scrutiny Committee". Standing Order 67(2)
After "except" insert "a Saturday,".
Leave out "Eleven and One of the clock on a Saturday or",
Leave out "on any other weekday".
Standing Order 69(1)
After "1974," insert "or a draft order proposed to he made under section 1 of the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994,".
After "Instruments" insert— ( ) in the case of a draft order proposed to be made under section 1 of the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994, there has been laid before the House the report thereon of the Delegated Powers Scrutiny Committee;".—(The Chairman of Committees.)

§ Lord Skelmersdale
My Lords, I should like to ask the Chairman of Committees a very simple question in relation to Standing Order 69(1) which refers to a report on a draft order from the Delegated Powers Scrutiny Committee. However, it gives no time limit. Surely it would be appropriate to allow at least a few sitting days for such reports to be considered before the House goes on to deal with the deregulation to which that report refers.

§ The Chairman of Committees
My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Skelmersdale, for raising that matter. No doubt he will be aware that the order to which he refers is dealt with in the second report of the Procedure Committee. The particular point that he raises is not dealt with. 1480 However, a close watch will be kept on it. Perhaps I may pass on to the Procedure Committee, which is due to meet on 24th January next year, the points the noble Lord made so that they can be borne in mind against a possible need for further action should that prove necessary.

§ Lord Cockfield
My Lords, when the new edition of the Companion to the Standing Orders is issued, may we have an assurance that copies will be sent to your Lordships?

§ The Chairman of Committees
My Lords, they will certainly be available as usual in the Printed Paper office. Perhaps the noble Lord, Lord Cockfield, will allow me to look into the point that he has raised. I am always conscious, as I know are your Lordships, of the costs involved in additional procedures.