§ 3.31 p.m.
§ The Chairman of Committees (Lord Brabazon of Tara)My Lords, I beg to move the Motion standing in my name on the Order Paper.
This report deals with only one matter: namely, a proposal to create a Northern Ireland Orders Grand Committee. That would provide a forum, similar to 372 the Grand Committees that consider other Bills, for the discussion of Northern Ireland orders. The orders concerned are those that would be dealt with by the Northern Ireland Assembly but come before the House while devolution in Northern Ireland is suspended. Each reference to the Committee would be the subject of a Motion in the House. I beg to move.
Moved, That the 2nd Report from the Select Committee be agreed to. (HL Paper 49)—(The Chairman of Committees.)
§ Following is the report referred to:
§ Proposal for a Northern Ireland Orders Grand Committee
§ The Committee has received from the Leader of the House a proposal for the establishment of a Committee to consider Northern Ireland Orders which come before the House while devolved government in Northern Ireland is suspended. The Leader's memorandum is printed as an Annex to this Report.
§ The Committee commends this proposal to the House. We propose that the Committee should be entitled the Northern Ireland Orders Grand Committee to reflect the fact that its procedures will be similar to those of other Grand Committees. As the Committee will have no fixed membership, there need be no formal motion of appointment and the House's agreement to this Report will provide authority for motions to be moved to apply, the new procedure to specific orders.