Lords debate on motion to agree, in accordance with paragraph 7 of the Report from the House Committee on the SSRB Review of Financial Support for Members of the House of Lords (HL 12 2009-10): the architecture and principles of the new system proposed by the SSRB; that the House Committee should work to prepare resolutions to implement the proposals on a timescale which allows a new system to be operational from the start of the new Parliament; that an ad hoc group of members should be established to consider and consult on issues in the SSRB report and advise on their implementation; and that the House Committee should monitor and report on the effects of implementation of the new system after a year of operation. Agreed to on question.

Lords debate on motion to agree, in accordance with paragraph 7 of the Report from the House Committee on the SSRB Review of Financial Support for Members of the House of Lords (HL 12 2009-10): the architecture and principles of the new system proposed by the SSRB; that the House...

My noble friend has just told us about the relevance of our costs and the agreement of the Government on that. However, has she noticed that in Annex A of the report the Prime Minister has added to the terms of reference, asking that they should consider reducing costs?

My noble friend has just told us about the relevance of our costs and the agreement of the Government on that. However, has she noticed that in Annex A of the report the Prime Minister has added to the terms of reference, asking that they should consider reducing costs?

My Lords, did the SSRB give any consideration to amalgamating the residence allowance with the attendance fee, thus vastly simplifying the whole operation? Why did it not consider putting the residence allowance and the fee in one single overall fee?

My Lords, did the SSRB give any consideration to amalgamating the residence allowance with the attendance fee, thus vastly simplifying the whole operation? Why did it not consider putting the residence allowance and the fee in one single overall fee?

My Lords, in opening today’s debate, I should perhaps take a moment to explain the procedure that we will follow. The Motion before the House asks it to agree to the four recommendations contained in the House Committee’s report on the Review of Financial Support for Members of the House...

My Lords, in opening today’s debate, I should perhaps take a moment to explain the procedure that we will follow. The Motion before the House asks it to agree to the four recommendations contained in the House Committee’s report on the Review of Financial Support for Members of the House...

My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Brabazon, the Chairman of Committees, for his skilful exposition for the benefit of the House of the background and main points of the report from the Senior Salaries Review Body on financial support for Members of your Lordships’ House. Once...

My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Brabazon, the Chairman of Committees, for his skilful exposition for the benefit of the House of the background and main points of the report from the Senior Salaries Review Body on financial support for Members of your Lordships’ House. Once...

My Lords, I am afraid that I cannot say whether the SSRB considered that or why it came to its conclusions. There is a lot in the report and my job today is to explain what is in it, not what is not in it. The SSRB report makes a...

My Lords, I am afraid that I cannot say whether the SSRB considered that or why it came to its conclusions. There is a lot in the report and my job today is to explain what is in it, not what is not in it. The SSRB report makes a...

No, my Lords, we are not dismissing elements of the report. We are saying that we adhere to the principles, we agree to the broad framework of the report—if the noble Earl prefers "framework" to "architecture"—and that we refer the details of the report to an ad hoc committee for...

No, my Lords, we are not dismissing elements of the report. We are saying that we adhere to the principles, we agree to the broad framework of the report—if the noble Earl prefers "framework" to "architecture"—and that we refer the details of the report to an ad hoc committee for...

At the conclusion of our long debate, after 35 speakers, I want again to thank Members of your Lordships’ House for allowing me to speak twice during our considerations. As the Leader of the whole House and as a member of the House Committee whose Motion is before us, I...

At the conclusion of our long debate, after 35 speakers, I want again to thank Members of your Lordships’ House for allowing me to speak twice during our considerations. As the Leader of the whole House and as a member of the House Committee whose Motion is before us, I...

My Lords, much of what I propose to say has already been said; therefore, I shall be very brief. I regard it as an exceptional privilege to have been in this House for 20 years. As a rule, I speak only on medicine, science and education, with an occasional swipe...

My Lords, much of what I propose to say has already been said; therefore, I shall be very brief. I regard it as an exceptional privilege to have been in this House for 20 years. As a rule, I speak only on medicine, science and education, with an occasional swipe...

My Lords, as we approach the end of this lengthy debate I should like to make a few points which derive from it, but which should be kept in mind as we approach the end. The first is that, although it may behove us that we should not under any...

My Lords, as we approach the end of this lengthy debate I should like to make a few points which derive from it, but which should be kept in mind as we approach the end. The first is that, although it may behove us that we should not under any...

My Lords, I had intended to give a speech today that started at the level of principle and worked its way down to detail, covering all the various recommendations. I do not think your Lordships would appreciate that type of speech at this stage, so instead I am going to...

My Lords, I had intended to give a speech today that started at the level of principle and worked its way down to detail, covering all the various recommendations. I do not think your Lordships would appreciate that type of speech at this stage, so instead I am going to...

My Lords, I stand with some hesitation at this stage in the evening, when it is late and because I am a new girl in this House—or, I should say, a new pensioner. That gives me a fresh look at some of these issues, so perhaps I might get back...

My Lords, I stand with some hesitation at this stage in the evening, when it is late and because I am a new girl in this House—or, I should say, a new pensioner. That gives me a fresh look at some of these issues, so perhaps I might get back...

My Lords—

My Lords—

My Lords—

My Lords—

I do not think that that is the relevant point. It is the relevant fee per day that is paid; that is what annex 7 is about. I am comparing the £200 that the SSRB recommends with the other fees, which are substantially higher in many cases than the £200...

I do not think that that is the relevant point. It is the relevant fee per day that is paid; that is what annex 7 is about. I am comparing the £200 that the SSRB recommends with the other fees, which are substantially higher in many cases than the £200...

My Lords, I believe that this review needed doing. Unless there is some extreme provocation, I expect to be the last speaker from these Benches, which might give other people a bit of a hint. As I was leaving home this morning, I was thinking that I really would prefer...

My Lords, I believe that this review needed doing. Unless there is some extreme provocation, I expect to be the last speaker from these Benches, which might give other people a bit of a hint. As I was leaving home this morning, I was thinking that I really would prefer...

My Lords, I think it is the turn of the Conservatives. I supported the reference to the SSRB, but it was clear at the meeting that I attended that we were not going to get anything like a sensible report. Indeed, it is well below the standard that any of...

My Lords, I think it is the turn of the Conservatives. I supported the reference to the SSRB, but it was clear at the meeting that I attended that we were not going to get anything like a sensible report. Indeed, it is well below the standard that any of...

My Lords, it is imperative that this House now accepts for the time being the SSRB report, with all its manifest flaws. The present situation cannot continue, and there is nothing else on the table for us to take at this stage. I very much hope that an ad hoc...

My Lords, it is imperative that this House now accepts for the time being the SSRB report, with all its manifest flaws. The present situation cannot continue, and there is nothing else on the table for us to take at this stage. I very much hope that an ad hoc...

I am sure that the honourable Member would agree—

I am sure that the honourable Member would agree—

My Lords, I hope that the House will forgive me for making a brief intervention. I do not share all the outright criticisms that some colleagues have made of the SSRB report. I began my submission to the SSRB by saying: ""The present system of financial assistance to members of...

My Lords, I hope that the House will forgive me for making a brief intervention. I do not share all the outright criticisms that some colleagues have made of the SSRB report. I began my submission to the SSRB by saying: ""The present system of financial assistance to members of...