European Union Referendum Bill Debate

Full Debate: Read Full Debate
Department: Ministry of Justice

European Union Referendum Bill

Earl of Erroll Excerpts
Monday 14th December 2015

(9 years ago)

Lords Chamber
Read Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Lord Elton Portrait Lord Elton (Con)
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

It seems that to a lot of noble Lords constitutional language is a foreign language that is not easily understood. I shall put what the Commons have said into English. It is, “You have asked us to think again. We have thought again several times. We are not going to change our minds, so please don’t waste any more time”.

Earl of Erroll Portrait The Earl of Erroll (CB)
- Hansard - -

Section 3 of the Parliament Act 1911 states:

“Any certificate of the Speaker of the House of Commons given under this Act shall be conclusive for all purposes, and shall not be questioned in any court of law”.

That being so, the only amendment we can go back with is one that does not involve any financial element. Otherwise the House of Commons will repeat that statement and the exercise is pointless. I have had amendments turned down on financial privilege over far less money than we are talking about here.