Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill

Debate between Lord Campbell-Savours and Lord Brabazon of Tara

Wednesday 15th December 2010 Lords Chamber

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

My Lords, the Question is that Clause 5 stand part of the Bill.

[Lord Campbell-Savours]

My Lords, I should like to ask the noble Lord, Lord McNally, a question. I am not seeking to delay. The noble Lord has agreed to consider the amendment, which is a generous concession. What is the process within the department? That has implications for the Bill more widely.

--- Later in debate ---

[Lord Campbell-Savours]

I am sorry that I could not hear what the noble Lord said, but I am sure that I will be kept in order by the Lord Chairman.

[The Chairman of Committees]

My Lords, I did put the Question that Clause 5 stand part of the Bill.

[Lord Campbell-Savours]

I am sorry about that. What is the process within the department? The noble Lord will take back the proposal made by my noble and learned friend on the Front Bench. Are there additional consultations within each party and within each element of the coalition about an amendment that might be further considered; or is it simply dealt with in the private office? I am trying to understand to what extent each element within the coalition will be drawn into discussion on the acceptability of any amendment which the Minister might be prepared to consider.

Procedure Committee: 2nd Report

Debate between Lord Campbell-Savours and Lord Brabazon of Tara

Thursday 7th October 2010 Lords Chamber

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

My Lords, I beg to move that the second report of the Procedure Committee be agreed to.

[Lord Campbell-Savours]

Can the noble Lord explain how that new procedure works? It may well be of interest to the House.

[The Chairman of Committees]

My Lords, a couple of years ago, in April 2008, the House agreed to new procedures for consideration of certain non-controversial Law Commission Bills on a trial basis. They involve holding the Second Reading debate in the Moses Room, with a Motion for Second Reading subsequently being taken formally in the Chamber. The Committee stage is then generally conducted by means of a Special Public Bill Committee, and then Report and Third Reading take place in the Chamber, as with other Bills. For a much fuller explanation of the procedure, I refer the noble Lord to the original report of the Procedure Committee of February 2008. I shall not go into it at length.

These procedures were successfully trialled in respect of two Bills, which both received Royal Assent. Since then, the chief executive of the Law Commission and your Lordships’ Constitution Committee have confirmed that they favour making the new procedures permanent, and that is what the House is being asked to do today.

Privileges and Conduct

Debate between Lord Campbell-Savours and Lord Brabazon of Tara

Tuesday 27th July 2010 Lords Chamber

[The Chairman of Committees]

My Lords, I agree with the noble Baroness that it was the crucial issue in the matter. The report makes it clear that no contempt was committed.

[Lord Campbell-Savours]

Before the noble Lord sits down, may I press him? The attempt was successful, because the report was withdrawn and rewritten prior to the general election.

[The Chairman of Committees]

My Lords, these matters were all looked into by the Privileges Committee and the noble and learned Lords thereon. They were not looking into the content of the Joint Committee’s report as such. It would be quite wrong to suggest that the report had been changed on that account. I certainly do not endorse that suggestion.