Select Committees

Lord Sewel Excerpts

Wednesday 9th January 2013 Lords Chamber

Moved by

[The Chairman of Committees]

That Lord Hill of Oareford be appointed a member of the following Committees, in the place of Lord Strathclyde: House, Liaison, Privileges and Conduct, Procedure and Selection.

[Lord Tyler]

I enthusiastically welcome my noble friend the new Leader of the House as an addition to all these committees, and particularly to the Procedure Committee on which I serve. However, can the Chairman of Committees confirm that, as presently scheduled, the Procedure Committee is not due to meet again until 18 March? Would it not be appropriate to ask the new Leader of the House whether he would be prepared to come to a special meeting of the Procedure Committee? I am well aware that a large number of issues are outstanding from the report of the Leader’s Group on Working Practices of your Lordships’ House. It is time, after nearly two years, that we took stock of what progress we have or have not made on those issues. No doubt, the new Leader of the House would wish to make sure that the committee was made aware of his own personal approach to these issues and that we should take an early opportunity to do so.

The report from the Procedure Committee which is coming up later in your Lordships’ House deals only very peripherally with some of these important outstanding issues. I am sure that the Chairman of Committees would agree that after nearly two years and some very important work undertaken by that Leader’s Group we should give them the attention that they demand. The input of the new Leader of the House would be very welcome in that respect. Will he please consider a special meeting of the Procedure Committee?

[The Chairman of Committees (Lord Sewel)]

The noble Lord, Lord Tyler, is, as always, ingenious in the way that he brings matters before your Lordships’ House. I can certainly agree with him that there are matters still outstanding from the Goodlad report that have not been addressed in detail. I should have thought that it would be better to allow the new Leader time to study and reflect before we have a meeting. On balance I think it would be better if we stuck to the scheduled meeting and did not have a special meeting.

Motion agreed.