Liaison Committee

Debate between Baroness McIntosh of Hudnall and Lord McFall of Alcluith

Monday 1st July 2019 Lords Chamber

[Baroness McIntosh of Hudnall (Lab)]

My Lords, could the noble Lord clarify the issue of a general election? I believe—he will correct me if I am wrong—that if there were to be a general election then it would mean the end of the entire Parliament, not just the end of the Session, and that, therefore, all the committees would have to be reappointed. However, there would be nothing at that moment to prevent current members of committees being reappointed to those committees if they had not served the requisite number of sessions by that time. Can he clarify that?

[The Senior Deputy Speaker]

What I can do is refer to the paper that the Committee of Selection put out —this takes in the point of the noble Lord, Lord Foulkes, as well. The Committee of Selection,

“has agreed that, for newly appointed members of committees, service in the remainder of this session will not be counted towards the rotation rule, unless the session extends beyond 1 January 2020”.

As for a general election, the noble Baroness is correct that membership would be done anew from there.