Lord Williams of Mostyn
President of the Council, Privy Council Office, Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Lords (Privy Council Office)
11:36,
18 September 2003
My Lords, a little later this morning, the noble and learned Lord the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs will make an announcement of interest to at least 93 of your Lordships. I wish to remind noble Lords of the procedure outlined in the Companion. The noble and learned Lord makes his Statement; there is then 20 minutes for Front-Bench interventions and a further 20 minutes for Back-Bench interventions.
On this occasion it seems that only 20 minutes for the Back Benches is somewhat restrictive. I propose, therefore, if noble Lords are content, to double the time to a maximum of 40 minutes, if that is wished for.
Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
