Police (Northern Ireland) Bill [Lords]
2:30 pm
Mr Roger Gale (North Thanet, Conservative)
I thank the Committee for its forbearance. I apologise for the fact that certain staff and members of the Committee had difficulty in entering the Room. Such vicissitudes are sent to try us.
I shall explain to the Committee what has happened, bearing in mind that we are now on the record. This morning, certain members of the Committee were, for wholly understandable reasons, not available to be part of our proceedings. It was decided that this morning's sitting would be cancelled and that the Programming Sub-Committee would meet this afternoon, which it has done. I invite members of the Committee to consider the resolution passed by the Sub-Committee.
I wish exceptionally to place on the record a view that I have expressed privately to the Sub-Committee. As a Chairman, I consider that proceedings of a Standing Committee should take precedence over all other matters. Members of the Committee—as we all have in the House of Commons, given our conflicting duties—must decide whether to be elsewhere or here. It is my personal view that the Committee should and could properly have sat this morning, with or without the Minister or other hon. Members present, however senior they may be. That decision was not taken.
I have discussed the matter with members of the Sub-Committee. I accept entirely their view that, because of the circumstances that have now developed, it would be unreasonable—and would become a matter of emotion—for the Committee to sit on Thursday simply because hon. Members have, in good faith, entered into other commitments. The Opposition Whip has courteously agreed to report my views to his side of the House of Commons, and the Minister has courteously agreed to report my views to her side of the House. I, in turn, intend to report my views to the Chairman of Ways and Means. As has been said, we are in uncharted waters and such an issue needs properly to be resolved by the House and its relevant Committees.
The Programming Sub-Committee has now agreed a draft resolution. I apologise to members of the Committee that there is no printed version of it available, but we have had to move in some haste. Will the Minister explain the resolution and her thinking behind it?