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Lord Foulkes of Cumnock (Lab Co-op)

Speaking in the House of Lords on 16 September 2026

Debate

Procedure and Privileges

Contribution

I hear some “hear, hears” and also some mutterings, mostly from the other side, which of course I am used to. However, if we think about it, if we are to improve our procedures and to get shorter questions and answers, we do need some discipline. I argue that the best person to make sure we get that kind of discipline in the House is the person sitting in the chair. I know that some people opposite, and even one or two people on our side, say, “We don’t want to adopt the procedures of the other place”, but, with respect, it is not just the procedures of the other place. It is the procedure of any meeting, whether it be a trade union meeting, a political meeting, a church guild or whatever, that the person in the chair says, “You’ve had long enough. Bring your remarks to a conclusion”.

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