House of Lords: Remote Proceedings

Lord Fowler Excerpts

Tuesday 21st April 2020 Lords Chamber

[The Senior Deputy Speaker]

I thank the noble Lord for his question. He has already been in touch with me this week on this issue. I mentioned to him then, and reassure him today, that this is a temporary measure. Our primary aim at the moment is to have a virtual Chamber so as to ensure that every Member of the House is able to participate to the same extent if they wish. The Procedure Committee met last week; it will meet again next week. As chairman of the committee, I can assure the noble Lord that we will meet as and when. The views of Members are important to me and to the committee. I look forward to constant engagement with Members so that we get this right. The primary aim is to get the virtual Chamber in place now and then to review it as we go along, informed by the views of Members and the usual channels.

[The Lord Speaker (Lord Fowler)]

Supplementary question: the noble Lord, Lord Newby.

[Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (GP)]

I think that I was next on the list.

--- Later in debate ---

[The Lord Speaker]

You are right; I beg your pardon. I do apologise for cutting you out.

[Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb]

Thank you, Lord Speaker. That is one aspect of the question that I was about to ask. I want to emphasise the point made by the noble Lord, Lord Hunt, that remote voting is already done in other places. Given the advances into virtual sittings that we have made in the past two weeks, I think that remote voting has to come to ensure that there is a democratic aspect to the legislation that we pass.

There is a formula for the allocation of Questions and supplementary questions. I am sure that your Lordships know that the two Greens in the House are very enthusiastic participants in almost its every aspect. I would hate to think that we were excluded because of some weird allocation of Questions. Is that something the committee can look into?

--- Later in debate ---

[The Senior Deputy Speaker]

I thank the noble Baroness for her question. She may have heard me explain earlier that the House of Commons has precedence in taking up Zoom, so we have been behind on that issue. We have been advised by the experts that there are certain questions of security. I will not go through them now but I am happy to write to the noble Baroness on this issue. She may have heard the Lord Speaker on the “Today” programme this morning, where he presented the House of Commons case very well indeed and mentioned that we will hopefully move to Zoom eventually in stage 2.

[The Lord Speaker]

My Lords, I regret that the time allowed for this Question has now elapsed. I very much apologise to those who have been cut out by that time division.