Lords motion that the standing orders relating to public business be amended. Agreed to on question (formal).

Lords motion that the standing orders relating to public business be amended. Agreed to on question (formal).

My Lords, the first four Motions standing in my name on the Order Paper today are consequential on decisions taken previously by the House in agreeing to reports from the Privileges Committee, the Procedure Committee and the Liaison Committee. I beg to move the first Motion standing in my name...

My Lords, the first four Motions standing in my name on the Order Paper today are consequential on decisions taken previously by the House in agreeing to reports from the Privileges Committee, the Procedure Committee and the Liaison Committee. I beg to move the first Motion standing in my name...

To move that the standing orders relating to public business be amended as follows:

To move that the standing orders relating to public business be amended as follows:

Lords motion that standing orders relating to private business be amended. Agreed to on question (formal).

Lords motion that standing orders relating to private business be amended. Agreed to on question (formal).

My Lords, this Motion, and the following two Motions in the name of the noble Baroness the Leader of the House, formally implement the recommendations of the Procedure Committee which were agreed to yesterday. The changes to private business standing orders give effect to the abolition of the Personal Bills...

My Lords, this Motion, and the following two Motions in the name of the noble Baroness the Leader of the House, formally implement the recommendations of the Procedure Committee which were agreed to yesterday. The changes to private business standing orders give effect to the abolition of the Personal Bills...

That the standing orders relating to private business be amended as follows: Standing Order 151 (Personal bills defined) Leave out paragraph (2) and insert: "(2) The proceedings in this House in respect to personal bills shall be subject to the provisions of Standing Orders 152-174, and to such general or...

That the standing orders relating to private business be amended as follows: Standing Order 151 (Personal bills defined) Leave out paragraph (2) and insert: "(2) The proceedings in this House in respect to personal bills shall be subject to the provisions of Standing Orders 152-174, and to such general or...

Answer the question.

Answer the question.

My Lords, I support every word said by the noble Lord, Lord Jenkin. This is an important matter and it is important that this House gets it right. I want to add two points. On a simple matter, there will be many Members around the House who have not taken...

My Lords, I support every word said by the noble Lord, Lord Jenkin. This is an important matter and it is important that this House gets it right. I want to add two points. On a simple matter, there will be many Members around the House who have not taken...

My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Jenkin, supported by the noble Lord, Lord Greaves, asked me a series of detailed and quite hard questions on national policy statements, some of which are for me and some of which are obviously for the Government and the usual channels. First, the noble...

My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Jenkin, supported by the noble Lord, Lord Greaves, asked me a series of detailed and quite hard questions on national policy statements, some of which are for me and some of which are obviously for the Government and the usual channels. First, the noble...

My Lords, is it too late to intervene? If not, I should like to say just one thing. Is this not another example of the problems of the Back Benches, which are not exercisable under the authority of the usual channels?

My Lords, is it too late to intervene? If not, I should like to say just one thing. Is this not another example of the problems of the Back Benches, which are not exercisable under the authority of the usual channels?

My Lords, I do not think that that is the case.

My Lords, I do not think that that is the case.

I believe that it is.

I believe that it is.

The noble Lord is entitled to his view of course, but business in this House is, and traditionally has been, arranged by the usual channels and I hope that, on the whole, the usual channels accommodate Members’ wishes. It certainly is not a matter for the Procedure Committee. I was...

The noble Lord is entitled to his view of course, but business in this House is, and traditionally has been, arranged by the usual channels and I hope that, on the whole, the usual channels accommodate Members’ wishes. It certainly is not a matter for the Procedure Committee. I was...

My Lords, I apologise for intervening but I think that the noble Lord has moved beyond the question of an ad hoc committee. Would it then be open to any Member of the House, presumably on a Motion before the House, to recommend that the matter be referred to an...

My Lords, I apologise for intervening but I think that the noble Lord has moved beyond the question of an ad hoc committee. Would it then be open to any Member of the House, presumably on a Motion before the House, to recommend that the matter be referred to an...

I think that it could be. I shall have to get in touch with the noble Lord with further information on that but I think that that is possible.

I think that it could be. I shall have to get in touch with the noble Lord with further information on that but I think that that is possible.

The Procedure Committee certainly could look at it again, but there is, as the noble Lord, Lord Jenkin, said, some urgency in the process because all this has to be settled by 6 May. I have an assurance from the Leader of the House that time will be found to...

The Procedure Committee certainly could look at it again, but there is, as the noble Lord, Lord Jenkin, said, some urgency in the process because all this has to be settled by 6 May. I have an assurance from the Leader of the House that time will be found to...

Reference was made to 6 May. If there is to be a general election on 6 May, which seems to be the favourite date so far, there will have to be dissolution by 6 April. Once dissolution takes place, presumably all proceedings in this House and the other place will...

Reference was made to 6 May. If there is to be a general election on 6 May, which seems to be the favourite date so far, there will have to be dissolution by 6 April. Once dissolution takes place, presumably all proceedings in this House and the other place will...

I am doing my best to answer the questions. As I said—

I am doing my best to answer the questions. As I said—