Business

– in the House of Lords at 4:38 pm on 18 February 2008.

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Photo of Baroness Royall of Blaisdon Baroness Royall of Blaisdon Chief Whip (House of Lords), HM Household, Chief Whip (House of Lords) 4:38, 18 February 2008

My Lords, with the permission of the House, I shall make a short business statement on the Banking (Special Provisions) Bill. The Bill is expected to arrive from the Commons late on Tuesday. The Lords' print of the Bill will be available on Wednesday morning. The usual channels have agreed that the Bill should receive its Second Reading on Wednesday after Oral Questions. A provisional speakers list for the Second Reading will be opened in the Government Whips' Office today after I have finished speaking. The remaining stages of the Bill will be taken on Thursday; the Committee stage will start immediately after Oral Questions. The Public Bill Office has said that it is willing to receive provisional Committee amendments from Tuesday morning onwards, as soon as the Commons' print of the Bill is available.

A Business of the House Motion will be tabled tonight for consideration tomorrow, after Oral Questions, to allow the Bill to be taken on these days. I regret that other business on Wednesday, and especially on Thursday, will have to be postponed. On Thursday, it will be necessary to postpone the debates in the names of the noble and right reverend Lord, Lord Harries of Pentregarth, and the noble Lord, Lord Patel, and the Committee stage of the Private Member's Bill of the noble Lord, Lord Mitchell. The statutory instruments scheduled for that day will remain as last business and the Grand Committee will run as scheduled. On Wednesday, the Committee stage of the Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill will resume after Second Reading of the banking Bill. I am afraid that the Question for Short Debate proposed by the noble Viscount, Lord Falkland, will have to be postponed.

I apologise for the inconvenience to all noble Lords who had intended to take part in those items of business. We will seek suitable alternative dates for everything that has been displaced and advertise them as soon as possible.