§ 3.20 p.m.
§ The Attorney-General (Lord Williams of Mostyn)My Lords, I beg to move the Motion standing in the name of my noble friend the Leader of the House.
As I am sure your Lordships are aware, it was announced yesterday that a number of distinguished Members of your Lordships' House are to receive life peerages so that they may continue as Members of this House after the end of this Session.
The purpose of this Motion is to allow any existing hereditary Peer who receives a life peerage to continue to sit in the House by virtue of that life peerage without 882 a ceremonial introduction. Any such Peer would be required to take the Oath and sign the Roll under his or her new title, but the Letters Patent of Creation would not be read in the House and no robes would be worn. That change has the approval of Her Majesty the Queen. I believe that it will meet the wishes of those hereditary Peers who receive life peerages and is also in the best interests of the House as a whole. I am sure your Lordships would not wish to require well-known, well-recognisable Members of this House to be formally introduced.
Moved to resolve, That notwithstanding the practice of the House on Introductions, a Peer who has sat by virtue of a hereditary peerage may sit by virtue of a life peerage without introduction.—(Lord Williams of Mostyn.)
§ On Question, Motion agreed to.