§ 3.38 p.m.
§ Lord CarterMy Lords, at a convenient moment after 3.30 p.m. my noble friend Lady Blackstone will, with the leave of the House, repeat a Statement which is being made in another place on teachers: rewarding and restructuring.
§ Lord CarterMy Lords, it may be of convenience to your Lordships if I say a few words about the Christmas 605 Recess. Subject to the progress of business, it is expected that the House will rise for the Christmas Recess on Thursday 17th December. We expect that the House will sit at 11 a.m. on that day. It is also expected that the House will return on Thursday 7th January—again, subject to the progress of business. I can certainly confirm that the House will not return before that day. Indeed, rumours which have appeared in press reports stating that the House will sit on Boxing Day are completely untrue, not least because Southampton will be playing Chelsea on that day and this Chief Whip fully intends to be there.
§ Lord Simon of GlaisdaleMy Lords, can the noble Lord say why now is not "a convenient moment after 3.30 p.m." for us to deal with the Statement? Alternatively, if it is not, can the noble Lord say whether immediately after the Bills have been introduced would be a convenient moment for the Statement, rather than interrupting the subsequent debate?
§ Lord CarterMy Lords, I am not sure whether the Statement has yet been dealt with in the other place. In the normal course of events, the timing for the taking of the Statement is agreed between the usual channels for the convenience of all the Peers involved.