House of Lords Journal

Prayers were read by the Lord Bishop of Birmingham.

Select Committee Reports

1 Merits of Statutory Instruments
The following Report from the Select Committee was made and ordered to be printed:

29th Report, on the following negative instruments:
Jobseeker’s Allowance (Employment, Skills and Enterprise Scheme) Regulations 2011
Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules. (HL Paper 137)

2 Human Rights
The following Report from the Joint Committee was made and ordered to be printed:

Legislative Scrutiny: Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill. (11th Report, HL Paper 138)

Public Business

3 Housing benefit A question was asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark and answered by Lord Freud.

4 Economy: personal debt A question was asked by Lord Haskel and answered by Baroness Wilcox.

5 National Health Service: waiting times A question was asked by Baroness McDonagh and answered by Earl Howe.

6 Elections: Alternative Vote system A question was asked by Lord Willis of Knaresborough and answered by Lord McNally.

7 Standing Orders (Public Business) Lord Strathclyde moved that the standing orders relating to public business be amended as follows:

Standing Order 19 (Election of Lord Speaker)

In the title of the Standing Order, after "Election" insert "and term of office".

Leave out paragraph (1) and insert:

"(1) An election of a Lord Speaker shall be held on 13th July 2011. Subsequently, elections shall, subject to paragraphs (1A) and (1B), be held in the fifth calendar year following that in which the previous election was held, on a day no later than 15th July in that year. If the result of the election is approved under paragraph (5), a Lord Speaker elected under this paragraph shall take office on 1st September in the year of election.

(1A) Where a Lord Speaker (including a person elected as Lord Speaker who has not yet taken office) dies, resigns or is deemed to have resigned pursuant to paragraph (8), an election of a Lord Speaker shall, subject to paragraph (1B), be held within three months of the death, the giving notice of resignation or the deemed resignation. For the purposes of paragraph (1), this election is then "the previous election".

(1B) Where a Dissolution of Parliament is announced after a date has been set for an election, the election shall take place either on the date originally set, or on a day no later than one month after the opening of the next Parliament, whichever is later."

In paragraph (8), after "resigned" insert "with effect from the date on which the motion is passed".

Standing Order 43 (Notices not to be placed on the Order Paper more than one month ahead)

In the title of the Standing Order, leave out "one month" and insert "four weeks".

In paragraph (1), leave out "one month" and insert "four weeks".

In paragraph (2), leave out "one month" and insert "four weeks".

The motion was agreed to. The amendments were ordered to be printed. (HL Paper 139)

8 Companies Act 2006 (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Order 2011 Lord De Mauley moved that the draft Order laid before the House on 3 March be approved. The motion was agreed to.

9 Civil Contingencies Act 2004 (Amendment of List of Responders) Order 2011 Lord Taylor of Holbeach moved that the draft Order laid before the House on 28 February be approved. The motion was agreed to.

10 European Union Bill The bill was further considered in Committee, beginning with amendment 20A. The debate on amendment 20A was adjourned. The House resumed.

11 Osama Bin Laden Lord Strathclyde repeated a ministerial statement made in the House of Commons.

12 European Union Bill The bill was further considered in Committee, beginning with the resumed debate on amendment 20A. Amendments were considered. The House resumed.

13 Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules Lord Hunt of Kings Heath moved that this House regrets that the Government have not published a comprehensive explanation of the findings from the consultation on Tiers 1 and 2 relating to the Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules (HC 863). After debate, the motion was withdrawn.

The House adjourned at 11.07pm until Wednesday 4 May at 3.00pm.