Baroness Smith of Basildon:

Moved by Baroness Smith of Basildon

That Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede be appointed as Senior Deputy Speaker (Chairman of Committees) for this Session.

My Lords, I congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede, on his appointment.

In doing so, I would like to take a few moments to pay tribute to the noble Lord, Lord Gardiner of Kimble. His has been dedicated work and service to this House to fulfil the role of Senior Deputy Speaker. His thoughtfulness and natural courtesy have meant that he has fulfilled his responsibility with great judgment and fairness. All of us across the House have felt valued and supported by him, and we all greatly appreciate the work he has done: from carrying out his duties on the Woolsack and supporting the dedicated group of Deputy Speakers, to overseeing the vital work of this House and its committees with a clear mission. Noble Lords across the House will remember his work in answering Written Questions, indeed all questions, on a wide range of topics, including fire safety, the Victoria Tower project, R&R and the use of cats to catch House of Lords mice—a frequent point of interest.

The noble Lord, Lord Gardiner, has chaired the Procedure and Privileges Committee with sensitivity and ensured that updates to the Companion reflect the current world in which we work. I think I am correct in saying we never had to vote on an issue; he always sought to reach consensus. He has provided invaluable contributions to the House of Lords Commission and the R&R committee—he might miss one less than the other—and has been a source of calm and clarity on complex matters, bringing the voices of noble Lords from across the House to these important platforms. On a personal level, I have valued his wisdom, his judgment and his friendship. I am sure the whole House will join me in expressing our warmest and best wishes for the future as he returns to the Back Benches.

My Lords, I am absolutely delighted to support the Motion from the noble Baroness the Lord Privy Seal in respect of the noble Lord, Lord Ponsonby. I think I can genuinely say that everybody on this side is absolutely delighted to welcome him to his place, for many reasons: not just because he is actually a pioneer in the art of having been a hereditary Peer and coming back here, which he is, but because of that charm, grace and attention to detail which he has displayed both in service in government and in so many other ways. I think we can all agree that he will be a successful follower to a really hard act to follow, that of my noble friend Lord Gardiner. I do not know, is he my noble friend again? Well, he always was my noble friend and he has been an absolutely outstanding Senior Deputy Speaker.

I am slightly disappointed that some of our colleagues were unable to stay for just five minutes to express their appreciation of somebody who has served the House so loyally over several years, and I know from the reaction of people around the House that they share my opinion. I think that the noble Lord needs to know the universal appreciation of the way in which he conducted what is actually a very difficult office. I do not think that many people realise the difficult issues that the Senior Deputy Speaker has to deal with, managing not just the whole business of Deputy Speakers but the business that comes through the committees that he chairs and on which he serves. My noble friend is a man of absolutely unimpeachable dignity, decency, kindness and diligence, and the House will miss him.

I think it is quite possible that, when he returns to a greater degree of freedom, he will also return to being what he once was, one of the most doughty defenders of the countryside in your Lordships’ House. At the moment, it is all peace and amity, and let us hope it stays that way, but I gently say to the opposite side that, should the banning of trail hunting come forward, I am not so sure that my noble friend will be quite as irenic and pacific as he is and has been as Senior Deputy Speaker. It is a great privilege to join the noble Baroness the Lord Privy Seal in welcoming and supporting the appointment of the noble Lord, Lord Ponsonby, and saying farewell and thank you to my noble friend Lord Gardiner.

My Lords, on behalf of these Benches, I add to the unanimity of the House in offering our appreciation of the work of the noble Lord. Much was said in the previous debate about our House operating efficiently and professionally, and we have been helped enormously in that endeavour by the work of the noble Lord. As the noble Lord, Lord True, said, many of the functions that the SDS carries out are almost literally thankless, but this is a very good opportunity for us to thank him for the very calm, warm, considered and courteous approach with which he has dedicated his service to our House. We are very grateful.

Select Committees have such an important role in this House, and there has been no stronger champion than the noble Lord with regard to what I consider to be the heart of the ability of all Members, Back-Benchers in particular, to contribute to this House’s reputation. The House’s reputation has been strengthened by his work and we are extremely grateful.

We also give very warm congratulations to the noble Lord, Lord Ponsonby, as he takes up his office. We know from his experience, both in government and in this House, that he will bring empathy and professionalism to this role, and we wish him the very best as he carries it out.

My Lords, on behalf of the Cross Benches, I congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Ponsonby, on his appointment as Senior Deputy Speaker, and most importantly, actually, as Chairman of Committees, which is sometimes forgotten. I wish the names were reversed in importance in the way we consider them.

The noble Lord, Lord Gardiner, has been in part diplomat, in part referee and in part provider of chocolate biscuits to me over his very successful five years as Senior Deputy Speaker. I am sure he did not expect, in 2021, to leave behind agriculture and fisheries for traffic management and gas lamps on the Parliamentary Estate, but each ball that was bowled at him—the Leader of the House just mentioned some—with every possible spin, by world-class bowlers, he despatched to the boundary and always with good humour.

In closing, I note that the noble Lord and I usually arrived for our monthly meetings dressed in Red Squirrel Survival Trust ties—I am wearing mine now. We would have a brief pre-meeting beforehand to discuss our mutual interest in the native broadleaf trees of our nation and red squirrels, which was probably quite puzzling to the officials who were sitting with us, but it set the tone. I was reflecting that, now that he is going to have some time on his hands, the red squirrels of the United Kingdom will be very pleased that a major advocate is back in action and can work on their behalf.

I very much value the noble Lord’s friendship. On behalf of these Benches, I thank him most warmly for all his support and service over five years.

My Lords, it is a pleasure to follow the noble Earl, Lord Kinnoull, to stand on behalf of these Benches in support of the Motion from the noble Baroness the Lord Privy Seal and to congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Ponsonby, on his appointment.

It is also a pleasure to thank, on behalf of these Benches, the former Senior Deputy Speaker, the noble Lord, Lord Gardiner. Newbies have been enormously grateful for the warmth of his welcome to those of us on these Benches and for his gentle guidance when learning the procedures of your Lordships’ House, such as the nod, the smile, and the twinkle in the eyes that have meant to the unsure, “Yes, you’re next”. The noble Lord has been a steady and kindly presence, for which we are most grateful.

At the side of any person who gives much to this House, there is often an understanding spouse or partner. I pay tribute to Olivia for all that she has given behind the scenes to enable the noble Lord to give so much here. I imagine there are a few faces around this place from which she might well have gained inspiration for some of her famous sculptures.

I suspect that there have been many times, while sitting on the Woolsack, when the noble Lord has wished to be out in the countryside, jumping the odd ditch or hedge and championing the things that he treasures about our farming and rural communities. That includes the local church and the encouragement and support that he gives to the clergy. As his personal motto puts it, “Floreat Rus”—let the countryside flourish.

Unless this is beginning to sound too much like a eulogy, I conclude by saying that I hope this next season will enable the noble Lord to follow his many other interests, including Greek life and culture, food and sunshine. May the Lord bless you and keep you, and give you peace.

Motion agreed nemine dissentiente.