Downing Street Says » House of Lords reform

» Thursday, November 2, 2006

House of Lords reform

The Leader was asked for his views on what the questioner said was contained in the forthcoming publication of the Joint Committee on Conventions. He pointed out that the report was embargoed until tomorrow. He said he had not yet read the report and, out of deference to members of the Committee, he did not wish to comment. He preferred to read the report first and also listen to what the chairman, Lord Cunningham, said at his press conference. Mr Straw was invited to comment on a report on the BBC website which referred to the report. In response, he said he had read the BBC report, and thought initially that it had been an outrageous article. He had then realised that the journalist who wrote it had been referring to the manifesto commitment relating to a 60-day period. Asked it he wanted to see the manifesto commitment fulfilled, the Leader said that such commitments could be fulfilled in many ways.

To a suggestion that the Committee’s report was not binding, Mr Straw said that, as everyone knew, it was a unanimous report by a high-level committee of parliamentarians from all parties from both Houses. Its recommendations would have great point, but he wished to read the report first.

Questioned about the content of his own oral evidence to the Joint Committee, Mr Straw said that, having set up the committee, it had been necessary to seek the committee’s view about the manifesto commitment. The Government would think very carefully about the Committee’s conclusions.

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