Formal Minutes
Tuesday 25 January 2005
Members present:
Mr A J Beith, in the Chair
| Peter Bottomley
Mr James Clappison
Ross Cranston
Mrs Ann Cryer
| | Mr Hilton Dawson
Keith Vaz
Dr Alan Whitehead
|
The Committee deliberated.
Draft Report [Constitutional Reform Bill [Lords]: the Government's
proposals], proposed by the Chairman, brought up and read.
Ordered, That the Chairman's
draft Report be read a second time, paragraph by paragraph.
Paragraphs 1 to 54 read and agreed to.
Paragraph 55 read, as follows:
The new Supreme Court needs a building which is able
to reflect the importance of the institution which it houses.
The proposal of the former Middlesex Guildhall as the location
for the Supreme Court has the potential to meet this requirement.
This has not been an easy decision because the choice of building
involves many complex issues. We believe that these issues should
continue to be the subject of the fullest consultation with the
Law Lords. We are confident that this building, if chosen, will
have the potential to be an excellent base for the new court of
final appeal for the United Kingdom providing that it is adapted
to allow the new court to function as a modern appellate court,
as the judges have urged.
Question put, That the paragraph stand part of the
Report.
The Committee divided.
Ayes, 5
Ross Cranston
Mrs Ann Cryer
Mr Hilton Dawson
Keith Vaz
Dr Alan Whitehead
| | Noes, 2
Peter Bottomley
Mr James Clappison
|
Paragraph 55 read and agreed to.
A paragraph—(Peter Bottomley)—brought
up and read, as follows:
There are substantial extra capital and recurrent
costs following the Government's decision to change the Supreme
Court arrangements.
Question put, That the paragraph be read a second
time.
Amendment proposed, in line 2, after the word "arrangements"
to insert the words "but these are a necessary consequence
of the creation of a Supreme Court which is separate form the
legislature".—(Keith Vaz.)
Question put, That the amendment be made.
The Committee divided.
|
Ayes, 5
Ross Cranston
Mrs Ann Cryer
Mr Hilton Dawson
Keith Vaz
Dr Alan Whitehead
| | Noes, 2
Peter Bottomley
Mr James Clappison
|
Paragraph, as amended, inserted (now paragraph 56).
Paragraphs 56 to 86 (now paragraphs 57 to 87) read
and agreed to.
Conclusions and recommendations read and agreed to.
Resolved, That the Report,
as amended, be the Third Report of the Committee to the House.
Ordered, That the Chairman
do make the Report to the House.
Several papers were ordered to be appended to the
Minutes of Evidence.
Ordered, That the Appendices
to the Minutes of Evidence taken before the Committee be reported
to the House.
[Adjourned till this day at 2.00pm
| 
