HL Deb 25 March 1980 vol 407 cc780-1WA
Lord MANCROFT

asked Her Majesty's Government:

  1. (i) whether they have noted the number of Private Members' Bills which have passed through all their stages in this House but have, through difficulties in the Parliamentary timetable, been denied any consideration in another place; and
  2. (ii) whether, in view of the fact that this House invariably accords proper consideration to any Private Member's Bill that has been sent up to the Lords after being duly passed through another place, steps could now be taken to remedy this imbalance in Parliamentary relations.

The MINISTER of STATE, MINISTRY of AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES and FOOD (Earl Ferrers)

As the Table below indicates, it is true that a greater number of Private Members' Bills which are introduced in and passed by another place receive Royal Assent as compared with those which are introduced into and passed by the Lords. In a number of cases, however, Lords Private Members' Bills have been introduced at a late stage in the Session and their sponsors have indicated that they do not expect their Bills to receive Royal Assent. In other cases, where similar Bills have been introduced into both Houses, the Bill which was introduced into another place has proceeded to Royal Assent.

The procedures in another place for consideration of Lords Private Members' Bills are entirely a matter for another place.