My Lords, I am pleased to have the opportunity to open this debate on your Lordships’ Constitution Committee’s report on the use of armed force. Our report was published in July and, because of the war in Syria, was very timely.

Interestingly, the extensive public commentary on the report that took...

My Lords, I am pleased to have the opportunity to open this debate on your Lordships’ Constitution Committee’s report on the use of armed force. Our report was published in July and, because of the war in Syria, was very timely.

Interestingly, the extensive public commentary on the report that took...

My Lords, I start by paying tribute to our chairman, the noble Baroness, Lady Jay of Paddington, and our legal advisers, notably Professor Adam Tomkins, for an extremely intellectually stimulating inquiry.

I was enthusiastic about it as the follow-up to the 2006 report, because in the types of armed conflict in...

My Lords, I start by paying tribute to our chairman, the noble Baroness, Lady Jay of Paddington, and our legal advisers, notably Professor Adam Tomkins, for an extremely intellectually stimulating inquiry.

I was enthusiastic about it as the follow-up to the 2006 report, because in the types of armed conflict in...

My Lords, I first thank the noble Baroness, Lady Jay, for initiating this important debate and for the way in which she chaired the Constitution Committee, before which I appeared.

The power to send men and women abroad into a situation of armed conflict is one of the most important decisions...

My Lords, I first thank the noble Baroness, Lady Jay, for initiating this important debate and for the way in which she chaired the Constitution Committee, before which I appeared.

The power to send men and women abroad into a situation of armed conflict is one of the most important decisions...

My Lords, it is a privilege, and one that humbles a speaker, to follow the noble and gallant Lord, Lord Guthrie of Craigiebank, in this debate. His knowledge and experience are unrivalled in this House. I must say that I do not wholly agree with his conclusions, and I will...

My Lords, it is a privilege, and one that humbles a speaker, to follow the noble and gallant Lord, Lord Guthrie of Craigiebank, in this debate. His knowledge and experience are unrivalled in this House. I must say that I do not wholly agree with his conclusions, and I will...

My Lords, I declare my membership of the Chief of the Defence Staff’s Strategic Advisory Panel, though I have not given my views on the matter before your Lordships’ House this evening during any of the panel’s deliberations.

It was the late Viscount Stansgate, father to Tony and David Benn, who...

My Lords, I declare my membership of the Chief of the Defence Staff’s Strategic Advisory Panel, though I have not given my views on the matter before your Lordships’ House this evening during any of the panel’s deliberations.

It was the late Viscount Stansgate, father to Tony and David Benn, who...

My Lords, I wish to intervene briefly. First, I congratulate the noble Baroness and her committee on what I think is an absolutely excellent report and on the way in which she introduced this debate. The report is certainly extremely timely, coming so soon after the recent debates on Syria...

My Lords, I wish to intervene briefly. First, I congratulate the noble Baroness and her committee on what I think is an absolutely excellent report and on the way in which she introduced this debate. The report is certainly extremely timely, coming so soon after the recent debates on Syria...

My Lords, along with other noble Lords who have spoken in this excellent debate, can I put on record my thanks to my noble friend Lady Jay of Paddington for bringing this report to the House? I also thank other members of the committee under her chairmanship for the thoughtful,...

My Lords, along with other noble Lords who have spoken in this excellent debate, can I put on record my thanks to my noble friend Lady Jay of Paddington for bringing this report to the House? I also thank other members of the committee under her chairmanship for the thoughtful,...

My Lords, the Government welcome the report of this committee. As noble Lords will be aware, the Commons comparable committee, to which I gave evidence last month, is now compiling a similar report. We hope that that committee’s report will be published within the next few weeks and that it...

My Lords, the Government welcome the report of this committee. As noble Lords will be aware, the Commons comparable committee, to which I gave evidence last month, is now compiling a similar report. We hope that that committee’s report will be published within the next few weeks and that it...

I do not want to make heavy weather of this, particularly not at this late hour. I do not think, however, that anyone in this House first of all talked of legally enshrining in statute a method of dealing with this. The difference between us is about a draft resolution...

I do not want to make heavy weather of this, particularly not at this late hour. I do not think, however, that anyone in this House first of all talked of legally enshrining in statute a method of dealing with this. The difference between us is about a draft resolution...

The question of where the threshold should lie what sort of triggers one has on this is very much part of what we need to discuss further.

I will try to answer some of the questions raised by noble Lords. Several noble Lords asked when the next revision of the Cabinet...

The question of where the threshold should lie what sort of triggers one has on this is very much part of what we need to discuss further.

I will try to answer some of the questions raised by noble Lords. Several noble Lords asked when the next revision of the Cabinet...

My Lords, before the noble Lord sits down, I asked him two specific questions which perhaps he could clarify. I am very happy if he wants to reflect on these and come back to the House at a later date or write to Members and place a copy in the...

My Lords, before the noble Lord sits down, I asked him two specific questions which perhaps he could clarify. I am very happy if he wants to reflect on these and come back to the House at a later date or write to Members and place a copy in the...

My Lords, I hoped that I had answered the question about the evolution of the conventions and the future of the Cabinet Manual. Before 12 months have elapsed, the Government will be responding to the report of the Commons committee, which will take us to the next stage.

Of course we...

My Lords, I hoped that I had answered the question about the evolution of the conventions and the future of the Cabinet Manual. Before 12 months have elapsed, the Government will be responding to the report of the Commons committee, which will take us to the next stage.

Of course we...

My Lords, I am grateful to the Minister for his very thoughtful and detailed response. Following the point just made by my noble friend Lord Kennedy of Southwark, it would be helpful to the Constitution Committee of your Lordships’ House if, in responding to the Commons committee, the Government could...

My Lords, I am grateful to the Minister for his very thoughtful and detailed response. Following the point just made by my noble friend Lord Kennedy of Southwark, it would be helpful to the Constitution Committee of your Lordships’ House if, in responding to the Commons committee, the Government could...

Lords motion to take note of the report of the Constitution Committee on Constitutional Arrangements for the Use of Armed Forces. (HL 46). Agreed to on question.

Lords motion to take note of the report of the Constitution Committee on Constitutional Arrangements for the Use of Armed Forces. (HL 46). Agreed to on question.

Lords debate on motion to take note of the report of the Constitution Select Committee on Waging War: Parliament's Role and Responsibility (HL 236 2005-06) and the follow-up report (HL 51 2006-07). Agreed to on question.

Lords debate on motion to take note of the report of the Constitution Select Committee on Waging War: Parliament's Role and Responsibility (HL 236 2005-06) and the follow-up report (HL 51 2006-07). Agreed to on question.

My Lords, all those members who served on the committee have already paid tributeto the chairman, the noble Lord, Lord Holme of Cheltenham, and the manner in which he conducted all the sessions and, ingeniously, put together at the end of a large volume of evidence, such a compelling report....

My Lords, all those members who served on the committee have already paid tributeto the chairman, the noble Lord, Lord Holme of Cheltenham, and the manner in which he conducted all the sessions and, ingeniously, put together at the end of a large volume of evidence, such a compelling report....

My Lords, in case the noble and learned Lord thinks that I have no military experience, I was the Chief of the General Staff during the time of the Falklands, so perhaps that balances with the experience of others. However, that is not my point, and I apologise for interrupting....

My Lords, in case the noble and learned Lord thinks that I have no military experience, I was the Chief of the General Staff during the time of the Falklands, so perhaps that balances with the experience of others. However, that is not my point, and I apologise for interrupting....

My Lords, I apologise if I suggested in any way that I was not aware that the noble and gallant Lord was the Chief of the Defence and a very successful Chief of the Defence Staff. I know it and I hope that I did not suggest anything else. Perhaps...

My Lords, I apologise if I suggested in any way that I was not aware that the noble and gallant Lord was the Chief of the Defence and a very successful Chief of the Defence Staff. I know it and I hope that I did not suggest anything else. Perhaps...

My Lords, the hour is late and it would not be profitable to reopen the whole debate, although after the Lord Chancellor’s speech it is tempting to do so. I should like to confine myself to saying that in his advocacy of business as usual and everything is tickety-boo, I...

My Lords, the hour is late and it would not be profitable to reopen the whole debate, although after the Lord Chancellor’s speech it is tempting to do so. I should like to confine myself to saying that in his advocacy of business as usual and everything is tickety-boo, I...

My Lords, first, I join noble Lords in expressing my genuine and profound gratitude to the noble Lord, Lord Holme of Cheltenham, for this report and for the debate he has procured. Perhaps I may say more widely that under his leadership the Constitution Committee of the House has made...

My Lords, first, I join noble Lords in expressing my genuine and profound gratitude to the noble Lord, Lord Holme of Cheltenham, for this report and for the debate he has procured. Perhaps I may say more widely that under his leadership the Constitution Committee of the House has made...