Arrangement of Business

Lord McFall of Alcluith Excerpts

Friday 9th September 2022 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Williams of Trafford (Con)]

My Lords, on this most solemn of occasions, I want to ensure that the House has the fullest opportunity to pay tribute to our late beloved Queen Elizabeth II. I will therefore take this opportunity to provide a brief update to Members on the arrangements for tributes over the next two days.

All Members who wish to pay tribute will of course be able to. The House will adjourn at around 5.50 pm today, shortly before His Majesty the King’s address. That will be broadcast in both Chambers, and tributes will then resume. The House will then sit until around 10 pm this evening and will resume at 1 pm tomorrow afternoon. We expect to rise at 10 pm tomorrow night, but that may depend on the number of Members who wish to pay tribute. There is no speakers’ list for tributes and no formal advisory time limit on Members’ speeches. However, I am sure that noble Lords will take their lead from the leaders of all the Benches who spoke earlier.

The House will of course want to pay the widest tribute to our late beloved Queen, and I know that Members will want to hear the fullest range of speeches. On this occasion, as I explained earlier through the usual channels, noble Lords are not required to attend the start and the end of the tributes. However, in accordance with usual practice, they should be in the Chamber for the speeches just before and after their own, and for as many of the tributes as they are able to. However, I thank the House for conducting itself so far in a way that is appropriate to this occasion.

[The Lord Speaker (Lord McFall of Alcluith)]

My Lords, the House will now resume tributes to Her late Majesty the Queen.