Communications Committee

Tuesday 22nd June 2010 Lords Chamber

Membership Motion

15:20

Moved by

[The Chairman of Committees]

Communications Committee

That a Select Committee be appointed to consider the media and the creative industries and that, as proposed by the Committee of Selection, the following members be appointed to the Committee:

L Clement-Jones, B Deech, L Dixon-Smith, B Fookes, L Gordon of Strathblane, L Macdonald of Tradeston , E Onslow (Chairman), L Razzall, L St John of Bletso, L Skelmersdale;

That the Committee have power to send for persons, papers and records;

That the Committee have power to appoint specialist advisers;

That the Committee have power to adjourn from place to place;

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

That the Reports of the Committee shall be printed, regardless of any adjournment of the House;

That the evidence taken by the Committee in the last session of Parliament be referred to the Committee;

That the evidence taken by the Committee shall, if the Committee so wishes, be published.

[Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe]

My Lords, I apologise to the Chairman of Committees that I did not give him prior notice, but it is only when I saw the paucity of business on the Order Paper today that I felt moved to raise a question about the Economic Affairs Committee. It seems outrageous—

[The Chairman of Committees (Lord Brabazon of Tara)]

If the noble Lord wants to raise a question about the Economic Affairs Committee, I shall, if I may, first move the first two Motions standing in my name on the Order Paper.

[Lord Dubs]

My Lords, I apologise to the Chairman of Committees that I did not give him prior notice. It is not that I object to any name on any of these committees, but is there a likelihood that this House will move toward electing the chairs and members of our Select Committees?

[The Chairman of Committees]

That is another question. It has nothing to do with today's business, but it is being looked at. The Leader of the House has made an announcement about a review of our practices, and that will no doubt be included in that. Perhaps I can come back to the noble Lord, Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe, in a moment, when we come to the Economic Affairs Committee. I will answer his question then.

[Earl Ferrers]

Before we leave that point, if the noble Lord, the Lord Chairman, says that that is being looked at, will he ensure that what is looked at is whether they are chairmen of committees, not chairs?

Motion agreed.