HL Deb 11 July 2003 vol 651 cc573-4
The Chairman of Committees (Lord Brabazon of Tara)

My Lords, I beg to move the Motion standing in my name on the Order Paper.

Moved, That the Commons message of yesterday be now considered, and that a committee of eleven Lords be appointed to join with the committee appointed by the Commons, to consider and report on any draft civil contingencies Bill presented to both Houses by a Minister of the Crown;

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

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

That the reports of the committee from time to time shall be printed, notwithstanding any adjournment of the House;

That the committee do report on the draft Bill by the end of November 2003;

And that the committee do meet with the committee appointed by the Commons on Tuesday 15th July at half-past three o'clock in Committee Room G.—(The Chairman of Committees.)

Lord Marlesford

My Lords, I am to serve on the committee and want to draw attention to the fact that the time proposed in the Motion is not agreed. This is an interesting example of how the other place has not got its act together. The Members of your Lordships' House who have been nominated to the committee were nominated quite a long time ago and the other place did not nominate its members until extremely late. There was then a huge rush to try to fix a time and we have had four changes to the time. Frankly, if pre-legislative scrutiny is to mean something, it must be conducted efficiently and we must not be rushed by the inability of the other place to get its act together.

Lord Brabazon of Tara

My Lords, I am afraid that I cannot comment on what happens in the other place. I am aware that there was a very long period between noble Lords being appointed to the committee and House of Commons' Members being appointed. Fortunately, I have no control over what goes on in the other place.

On Question, Motion agreed to; and a message was ordered to be sent to the Commons to acquaint them therewith.

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