Procedure Committee

Lord McFall of Alcluith Excerpts

Thursday 15th March 2018 Lords Chamber

Moved by

[The Senior Deputy Speaker]

That the 3rd Report from the Select Committee: Private Notice Questions timing; Noting overdue Government responses to select committee reports in House of Lords Business (HL Paper 97) be agreed to.

[The Senior Deputy Speaker (Lord McFall of Alcluith)]

My Lords, the report proposes a small but important change to the timing for submission of Private Notice Questions to correct an unintended consequence of the current rules. The change would mean that on days such as yesterday, when the House sits before 1 pm but Oral Questions remain at the usual time in the afternoon, the deadline for submitting a Private Notice Question in writing to the Lord Speaker remains at 12 noon rather than being brought forward to 10 am.

The report also sets out for information a proposal agreed by the Procedure Committee to list in House of Lords Business the names of government departments that have failed to respond to reports of Lords Select Committees, and Joint Committees, within two months. This change will take effect when the House returns from the Easter Recess. I hope that noble Lords will support these proposed changes.

Motion agreed.