Privileges and Conduct Committee

Debate between Lord McFall of Alcluith and Lord Mackay of Clashfern

Monday 3rd April 2017 Lords Chamber

[Lord Mackay of Clashfern (Con)]

I have the responsibility of having participated in the report now put before your Lordships by the Senior Deputy Speaker. What we are proposing is as good as you can get in this area. First, the member of the public is a hypothetical individual—and the more hypothetical you may think he is when you have heard the qualifications. But the relationship between the Member of the House and a particular interest is not in any sense speculative; it is something that he or she knows they are going to have. Whether that will influence what he or she is going to say in the House of Lords is a very definite matter, so it is perfectly appropriate that “would” should be used. When you are dealing with a hypothetical man or woman—“member of the public” is the phrase used to cover that difficulty—it is purely hypothetical. To say that a member of the public would if properly qualified do this is to set it at a very high level indeed. Having due regard to the difficulty expressed by my noble friend Lord Forsyth, because the paragraph does not say “would” every time, I think that it has made the distinction in a suitable and appropriate way where it has done so.

[The Senior Deputy Speaker]

My Lords, I am very much aware that I am speaking to a House full of reasonable people. In that regard, earlier I invited the House to agree the Motion and I shall go back and ensure a positive exchange between the noble Lord, Lord Forsyth, myself and the noble and learned Lord, Lord Brown. If the House is agreed on that, I beg to move.

Scotland Bill

Debate between Lord McFall of Alcluith and Lord Mackay of Clashfern

Wednesday 24th February 2016 Lords Chamber

[Lord Mackay of Clashfern]

My Lords, I am glad that these amendments have been made. Of course, I understand that they will require approval by the House of Commons in due course.

[Lord McFall of Alcluith]

My Lords, we agree with the Government on this very sensible measure. We appreciate the minor and technical amendments and fully agree with them. We thank the Minister.