Standing Orders (Public Business) (Hansard, 16 December 1997)

§ The Chairman of Committees (Lord Boston of Faversham)

My Lords, I beg to move the first Motion standing in my name on the Order Paper.

The first part of this Motion tidies up Standing Order 62, which deals with sessional committees. The Procedure Committee proposed in its second report of this Session that the Broadcasting Committee should cease to exist and the House agreed to that report on 4th December. This Motion therefore deletes the reference to the Broadcasting Committee in the Standing Order. It also brings up to date the title of the Delegated Powers and Deregulation Committee, which was altered at the start of Session 1996-97.

The second part of the Motion introduces the proposed new Standing Order on the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments, again on the recommendation of the Procedure Committee. The new Standing Order sets out the committee's existing terms of reference. The reason for introducing it is that it will simplify the procedure for appointing the committee at the beginning of each Session.

501 It might be for the convenience of the House if I speak now to the second Motion, although I shall move it separately. I should explain that it supports the proposed new Standing Order. It would give the committee its present powers on a permanent basis, so removing the need for them to be granted at the start of every Session. I commend the order to the House.