House of Lords: Post-legislative Scrutiny

Lord Phillips of Sudbury Excerpts

Monday 14th June 2010 Lords Chamber

[Lord Phillips of Sudbury]

My Lords, is the Minister aware—

[Noble Lords]

Order! Wrong Bench!

[Lord Phillips of Sudbury]

My Lords, I apologise to the right reverend Prelate for polluting his bit of the Bench. [Laughter.]

Is the Leader of the House aware of what I think is a military tradition, whereby the top brass who devise strategy are supposed to live with its consequences in practice? Would it not be a good idea if we learnt something from the military and stopped the mad ministerial merry-go-round, whereby Ministers, who are progenitors of legislation in this place, rarely if ever have to face the music?

[Lord Strathclyde]

My Lords, I am sure that I speak for all my colleagues in saying that we are very much in favour of stopping the ministerial merry-go-round in this House.