§ The Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs and The Lord Chancellor (Lord Falconer of Thoroton)My Lords, I beg to move the Motion standing in my name on the Order Paper.
Moved, that, pursuant to Standing Order 52, the following Lords be appointed to join with a committee of the Commons as the Joint Committee on Consolidation Bills:
That the committee have the power to agree with the committee of the Commons in the appointment of a chairman;
- L. Acton,
- L. Brightman,
- L. Campbell of Alloway,
- L. Christopher,
- V. Colville of Culross,
- E. Dundee,
- B. Fookes,
- L. Janner of Braunstone,
- B. Mallalieu,
- L. Phillips of Sudbury,
- L. Razzall,
- L. Rodger of Earlsferry;
That the minutes of evidence taken before the committee shall, if the committee think fit, be printed; and
That a message be sent to the Commons to propose that the Joint Committee do meet on Monday 1 March at half-past four o'clock.—(Lord Falconer of Thoroton.)
Lord RentonMy Lords, while I welcome the appointment of 12 experienced Members of your Lordships' House to the committee, I ask the Lord Chancellor to bear in mind that there is a greater need for consolidation of statutes now than for many years, especially those statutes relating to criminal justice, of which there are about a dozen amending statutes. Will he therefore advise the Joint Committee, when it is appointed, of the need to get down to the consolidation work, especially in relation to criminal justice Acts?
§ Lord Falconer of ThorotonMy Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Renton, for that intervention. Of course, I shall pass on to the committee the points that he made. I also thoroughly agree with what he said in relation to the need to consolidation being urgent now and far more urgent than before.
§ On Question, Motion agreed to; and a message was ordered to be sent to the Commons to acquaint them therewith.