Parliament Act 1911: Centenary

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon Excerpts

Tuesday 28th June 2011 Lords Chamber

[Lord Strathclyde]

My Lords, I am sure that another outing by my noble friend Lord McNally would be a show-stopper.

[Baroness Royall of Blaisdon]

My Lords, I am sure that one of the tasks of the newly appointed Joint Committee will be precisely to look at the workings and applicability of the Parliament Act. Might it not be a good idea, to mark the centenary of the Parliament Act with further tangible House of Lords reform, to ask the Joint Committee also to undertake an immediate report on the Steel Bill, which would help the House and Government decide on the best course of action when the House returns in October? I understand that the noble Lord’s Bill might be debated then.

[Lord Strathclyde]

I am all for debate on that Bill. We should let the Joint Committee do its work. It has its terms of reference. If it feels the need to look at the Parliament Act, it should do so.