HL Deb 17 December 2003 vol 655 cc1156-7
The Chairman of Committees

My Lords, I beg to move the second Motion standing in my name on the Order Paper. This Motion establishes a new committee to consider the merits of statutory instruments. The terms of reference follow those proposed by the Procedure Committee in its third report of the last Session, except that the Motion appoints 11 members to the committee instead of the nine originally suggested. That change has been agreed by the usual channels and the Committee of Selection.

Moved, That a Select Committee be appointed to consider every instrument which is laid before each House of Parliament and upon which proceedings may be or might have been taken in either House of Parliament, in pursuance of an Act of Parliament, being:

  1. (i) a statutory instrument, or a draft of a statutory instrument;
    2. 1157
  2. (ii) a scheme, or an amendment of a scheme, or a draft thereof, requiring approval by statutory instrument; or
  3. (iii) any other instrument (whether or not in draft), where the proceedings in pursuance of an Act of Parliament are proceedings by way of an affirmative or negative resolution;
but excluding any Order in Council or draft Order in Council made or proposed to be made under paragraph 1 of the Schedule to the Northern Ireland Act 2000 and any remedial order or draft remedial order under Schedule 2 to the Human Rights Act 1998 and any draft order proposed to be made under Section 1 of the Regulatory Reform Act 2001, or any subordinate provisions order made or proposed to be made under that Act;

with a view to determining whether the special attention of the House should be drawn to it on any of the following grounds:

  1. (a) that it is politically or legally important or gives rise to issues of public policy likely to be of interest to the House;
  2. (b) that it is inappropriate in view of the changed circumstances since the passage of the parent Act;
  3. (c) that it inappropriately implements European Union legislation;
  4. (d) that it imperfectly achieves its policy objectives;
That, as proposed by the Committee of Selection, the following Lords be named of the committee:
  • L. Addington,
  • L. Armstrong of Ilminster,
  • L. Boston of Faversham,
  • V. Colville of Culross,
  • L. Desai,
  • L. Graham of Edmonton,
  • L. Hunt of Kings Heath (Chairman),
  • L. Jopling,
  • L. Methuen,
  • E. Northesk,
  • V. Ullswater;
That the committee have power to appoint specialist advisers;

That the committee have power to adjourn from place to place within the United Kingdom;

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

That the reports of the Select Committee from time to time shall be printed, notwithstanding any adjournment of the House.—(The Chairman of Committees.)

On Question, Motion agreed to.