Succession to the Crown Bill

Debate between Lord Northbrook and Lord Cormack

Thursday 28th February 2013 Lords Chamber

[Lord Cormack]

Is my noble and learned friend saying that, because the Prime Minister has given that undertaking to international colleagues, we ratify this in every last particular? Or is he saying that we have the parliamentary process and therefore while we must adhere to the principles we can deal with the detail? There is a very big difference between the two, so which is it? Do we have the authority, as a House and as a Parliament, to alter the details, from six to 12 for instance, or do we not? If not, it is frankly an abuse of parliamentary procedure.

[Lord Northbrook]

As a supplementary, could I ask whether having been amended in the Commons, the Bill now has to be reapproved by the heads of government?

House of Lords Reform Bill [HL]

Debate between Lord Northbrook and Lord Cormack

Friday 21st October 2011 Lords Chamber

[Lord Cormack]

Perhaps I may respond to the noble Earl, Lord Erroll. The fact of the matter is that at any stage he and a number of his friends can, if they wish, bring proceedings to a halt at Report or Third Reading if they are totally unsatisfied. All I am asking is that we move through Committee this afternoon, we move to Report and that the noble Earl takes part in those debates in a constructive spirit, as we should all try to do. Then we are reflecting credit on this House, rather than ending in a very unsatisfactory, untidy way today.

[Lord Northbrook]

The reason why the noble Earl, Lord Caithness, changed his thoughts is that I think the goal posts seem to have moved. I do not understand why we are not going to recommit Clauses 1 to 9.