§ 3.5 p.m.
§ The Chairman of Committees (Lord Ampthill)My Lords, I beg to move the Motion standing in my name on the Order Paper.
This Private Bill was introduced into your Lordships' House in the Session 1990–91 and was passed by this House in the following session. It was proceeding through its Commons stages last Session but did not complete its stages before the Session ended. A Motion to carry the Bill over to the new Session was objected to in the Commons. Accordingly, the Bill expired. The Commons has now sent us a Message that it wishes proceedings on the Bill in that House to resume. The purpose of the Motion that I am now moving is to agree to the Commons request to revive the Bill and to enable it to be reintroduced and taken pro forma to the stage reached at the end of the last Session. I beg to move.
Moved, That the Commons Message of 20th January be now considered; and that, notwithstanding anything in Private Business Standing Orders or practice of the House, the promoters of the Bill, which originated in this House in Session 1990–91, and which has passed all its stages in this House but not in the Commons, may proceed with the Bill in the present Session;
That the petition for the Bill be deemed to have been deposited;
That all Standing Orders applicable be deemed to have been complied with;
That the Bill be deposited in the Office of the Clerk of the Parliaments not later than 3 p.m. on Tuesday 1st February next with a declaration annexed, signed by the agent, stating that it is the same in every respect as the Bill passed by this House;
That the proceedings on the Bill in the present Session be pro forma and that no new fees be charged.—(The Chairman of Committees.)
Earl JellicoeMy Lords, I am grateful to my noble friend the Chairman of Committees for his explanation. Until he gave it, I must confess that I was rather puzzled. Many moons ago, I had the mixed pleasure of introducing this Bill into your Lordships' House. We spent quite a lot of time on it. Since then, it has disappeared into the mists of another place. By sheer chance, I happened to see the Motion standing in the name of the Chairman of Committees when I came into your Lordships' House this afternoon. I must confess that I was rather puzzled by its arcane and opaque phraseology. I think that I now understand it and I am grateful to my noble friend for what he has said. It is of considerable interest to those noble Lords who gave a lot of time to this Bill when it came before your Lordships' House previously and, indeed, to myself.
§ The Chairman of CommitteesMy Lords, I am grateful to my noble friend for those remarks. Neither he nor I have the benefit of experience of another place, and this place is at a certain disadvantage in understanding some of its procedures.
On Question, Motion agreed to, and it was ordered that a Message be sent to the Commons requesting their agreement thereto.