Council of the European Union: United Kingdom Presidency

Debate between Lord Richard and Lord Bridges of Headley

Wednesday 20th July 2016 Lords Chamber

[Lord Bridges of Headley]

I agree. That is why I cited what was said to the House’s European Union Committee itself, which cited exactly that point.

[Lord Richard (Lab)]

My Lords, a little while ago the Minister said that the Government would make alternative arrangements for our presidency, which we have since decided not to do. What alternative arrangements do the Government have in mind?

[Lord Bridges of Headley]

If the noble Lord is referring to who will replace us, that matter is being determined by the European Union as we speak.

Chilcot Inquiry

Debate between Lord Richard and Lord Bridges of Headley

Wednesday 1st July 2015 Lords Chamber

[Lord Bridges of Headley]

My Lords, on the first point, I draw my noble friend’s attention to what Sir John Chilcot told the Foreign Affairs Select Committee in the other place. He said he had seen,

“no evidence … that anyone is trying to delay the publication of the report by holding out from responding or entering into argument about the Maxwellisation process”.

As regards the lessons we need to draw from this process, I am sure there will be very many indeed, but I humbly suggest that we do so once the report is completed.

[Lord Richard (Lab)]

My Lords, is not the real problem here that, under the present rules for inquiries, the Maxwellisation process is mandatory? It is not discretionary or left to the chairman of the inquiry to decide who ought to be given the opportunity to respond; it is mandatory and it takes an awfully long time. A committee of this House recently considered the operation of the Inquiries Act and one of its main recommendations was that a Maxwellisation process should cease to be mandatory and should be left to the discretion of the chairman. So far, the Government have refused to take that on board. In the light of what we now know about Chilcot, will the Minister undertake that the Government will look again at whether the rules of procedure for inquiries are up to it and, indeed, whether or not the Maxwellisation process should cease to be mandatory?

[Lord Bridges of Headley]

I am sorry to disappoint the noble Lord, but I have to refer him to the answer I have just given, which is that we will need to take account of this process and the lessons we might learn once the inquiry concludes. I note that he shakes his head, but this inquiry is independent and it needs to remain independent.