Business of the House

Lord Garnier Excerpts

Thursday 3rd November 2016 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Order. Given the pressure on time, to which I referred earlier, I should now appreciate single, short supplementary questions.

[Sir Edward Garnier (Harborough) (Con)]

I welcome the announcement by the Leader of the House that there is to be a debate on the European Union and workers’ rights next week. Could he also provide an opportunity for the House to debate the rights of this House, because without our supporting our own rights, there are no rights for workers? The Court this morning reinforced the importance of parliamentary sovereignty. Will my right hon. Friend make it abundantly clear that this House believes in its own powers and privileges; that they should be sustained; and that we should not enter into the farce that we entered into last Monday, when Parliament made a mistake in relation to Select Committees? [Interruption.]

[Mr Speaker]

It is being chuntered from a sedentary position that the right hon. and learned Gentleman is a lawyer. He is indeed a very distinguished lawyer, but I fear that we will have to wait for the next question to get a brief one.

[Sir Edward Garnier]

I am also a Member of Parliament.

[Mr Speaker]

The right hon. and learned Gentleman is also a Member of Parliament, and we have heard him with great courtesy and, indeed, a degree of charity.