HL Deb 03 December 1998 vol 595 cc606-7
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.

Moved, That the Commons message of Monday last be now considered and that a Select Committee of six Lords be appointed to join with the Committee appointed by the Commons, as the Joint Committee on Parliamentary Privilege, to review parliamentary privilege and make recommendations there on;

That, as proposed by the Committee of Selection, the following Lords be named of the Committee:

  • L. Archer of Sandwell,
  • L. Mayhew of Twysden,
  • L. Merlyn-Rees,
  • L. Nicholls of Birkenhead,
  • L. Waddington,
  • L. Wigoder;
That the Committee have power to agree with the Commons in the appointment of a Chairman;

That the Committee have leave to report from time to time;

That the Committee have power to appoint specialist advisers;

That the proceedings of the Joint Committee on Parliamentary Privilege in the last Session of Parliament be referred to the Committee;

That the Minutes of Evidence taken before the Committee from time to time shall, if the Committee think fit, be printed and delivered out; and

That the Attorney-General, the Lord Advocate, the Solicitor-General and the Solicitor-General for Scotland. being Members of either House, may attend the Committee, may take part in deliberations, may receive Committee papers and may give such other assistance to the Committee as may be appropriate, but shall not vote or make any Motion or move any amendment or be counted in the quorum.— (The Chairman of Committees.)

Lord Renton

My Lords, I welcome the appointment of a joint committee of both Houses to consider parliamentary privilege. Will the noble Lord do everything that he can to increase the number of such joint committees so that Members of another place may benefit from the experience, expertise and wisdom of Members of your Lordships' House?

Baroness Carnegy of Lour

My Lords, I might be misreading the Motion of the noble Lord, the Chairman of Committees, but in relation to the last paragraph I see that among those who will be entitled to attend the committee and take part in its deliberations are the Lord Advocate and the Solicitor-General for Scotland. Once the Scottish Parliament is up and running and those two officers of state will not be Members of either House but Members of the Scottish Parliament, what will happen to Scottish interests in relation to parliamentary privilege and that committee?

The Chairman of Committees

My Lords, in answer to the point raised by the noble Lord, Lord Renton, I am sure that he will appreciate that my own powers in those matters are strictly limited. Any consideration of the points that he has raised will be for at least two other committees of your Lordships' House, namely the Liaison Committee and the Procedure Committee. I shall ensure that what the noble Lord has said will be taken into account by any relevant committees at the appropriate time.

As to the point raised by the noble Baroness, those matters will be for the Scottish Parliament once it is set up. There is nothing I can usefully add to that today.

On Question, Motion agreed to.