House of Lords Journal 231 (Session 1997-98)

Previous Next Page 553 1997-98 Volume 231       Thursday 26 February 1998 The House met at two o’clock.The following Lords Spiritual and Temporal were present: Aberdare, L. Ackner, L. Acton, L. Addington, L. Addison, V. Ailesbury, M. Ailsa, M. Alanbrooke, V. Alderdice, L. Aldington, L. Alexander of Tunis, E. Allen of Abbeydale, L. Allenby of Megiddo, V. Alport, L. Amos, B. Ampthill, L. Anelay of St. Johns, B. Annan, L. Archer of Sandwell, L. Archer of Weston-Super-Mare, L. Arran, E. Ashbourne, L. Ashley of Stoke, L. Astor of Hever, L. Avebury, L. Baker of Dorking, L. Baldwin of Bewdley, E. Banbury of Southam, L. Barnett, L. Bassam of Brighton, L. Bath and Wells, Bp. Beaumont of Whitley, L. Belhaven and Stenton, L. Beloff, L. Belstead, L. Berkeley, L. Biddulph, L. Biffen, L. Birdwood, L. Blackstone, B. Blaker, L. Blatch, B. Blease, L. Blyth, L. Boardman, L. Borrie, L. Bowness, L. Brabazon of Tara, L. Braine of Wheatley, L. Bridgeman, V. Bridges, L. Brightman, L. Brooke of Alverthorpe, L. Brooks of Tremorfa, L. Brougham and Vaux, L. Bruce of Donington, L. Burlison, L. Burnham, L. Butterfield, L. Butterworth, L. Byford, B. Cadman, L. Caithness, E. Callaghan of Cardiff, L. Calverley, L. Campbell of Alloway, L. Campbell of Croy, L. Carew, L. Carlisle, E. Carnegy of Lour, B. Carnock, L. Carter, L. Chalfont, L. Chalker of Wallasey, B. Charteris of Amisfield, L. Chesham, L. Chorley, L. Clancarty, E. Clanwilliam, E. Cledwyn of Penrhos, L. Clifford of Chudleigh, L. Clinton-Davis, L. Clyde, L. Cockfield, L. Cocks of Hartcliffe, L. Coleraine, L. Coleridge, L. Colwyn, L. Cope of Berkeley, L. Courtown, E. Cox, B. Craig of Radley, L. Craigavon, V. Cranborne, V. Cranbrook, E. Cullen of Ashbourne, L. Currie of Marylebone, L. Dacre of Glanton, L. Dahrendorf, L. Darcy de Knayth, B. David, B. Davidson, V. Davies of Coity, L. Davies of Oldham, L. De Freyne, L. Dean of Beswick, L. Dean of Harptree, L. Dean of Thornton-le-Fylde, B. Denham, L. Denton of Wakefield, B. Desai, L. Dholakia, L. Diamond, L. Dilhorne, V. Dixon, L. Donoughue, L. Dormand of Easington, L. Dundonald, E. Durham, Bp. Eames, L. Eatwell, L. Elibank, L. Elis-Thomas, L. Ellenborough, L. Elles, B. Elliott of Morpeth, L. Ely, Bp. Evans of Parkside, L. Ezra, L. Falconer of Thoroton, L. Falkland, V. Farrington of Ribbleton, B. Fitt, L. Flather, B. Flowers, L. Fookes, B. Fraser of Carmyllie, L. Freyberg, L. Gage, V. Gainford, L. Gallacher, L. Gardner of Parkes, B. Garel-Jones, L. Geraint, L. Gillmore of Thamesfield, L. Gisborough, L. Gladwin of Clee, L. Gladwyn, L. Glasgow, E. Glenarthur, L. Glentoran, L. Goff of Chieveley, L. Gould of Potternewton, B. Grantley, L. Greenway, L. Gregson, L. Grenfell, L. Grey, E. Griffiths, L. Habgood, L. Haddington, E. Halifax, E. Halsbury, E. Hamwee, B. Hankey, L. Hanworth, V. Hardie, L. Harding of Petherton, L. Hardy of Wath, L. Harmar-Nicholls, L. Harris of Greenwich, L. Harrowby, E. Haskel, L. Hattersley, L. Hayhoe, L. Hemphill, L. Henderson of Brompton, L. Higgins, L. Hilton of Eggardon, B. Hoffmann, L. Hogg of Cumbernauld, L. Holderness, L. Hollis of Heigham, B. HolmPatrick, L. Hood, V. Hooper, B. Page 554 1997-98 Volume 231 Back to top Hooson, L. Hope of Craighead, L. Howe, E. Howell, L. Hoyle, L. Hughes, L. Hughes of Woodside, L. Hunt of Kings Heath, L. Hurd of Westwell, L. Hutton, L. Hylton, L. Hylton-Foster, B. Ilchester, E. Ingleby, V. Inglewood, L. Islwyn, L. Jacobs, L. Jay of Paddington, B. Jeger, B. Jellicoe, E. Jenkin of Roding, L. Jenkins of Hillhead, L. Jenkins of Putney, L. Johnston of Rockport, L. Kennet, L. Kilbracken, L. Kilmarnock, L. Kilpatrick of Kincraig, L. Kimball, L. Kingsland, L. Kinloss, Ly. Kinnoull, E. Kirkwood, L. Kitchener, E. Knight of Collingtree, B. Lane of Horsell, L. Lang of Monkton, L. Lauderdale, E. Lawrence, L. Lawson of Blaby, L. Layton, L. Leathers, V. Leicester, Bp. Leigh, L. Lester of Herne Hill, L. Levy, L. Lewis of Newnham, L. Linklater of Butterstone, B. Liverpool, E. Lloyd of Berwick, L. Lockwood, B. Lofthouse of Pontefract, L. Long, V. Longford, E. Lovell-Davis, L. Lowry, L. Lucas, L. Lucas of Chilworth, L. Ludford, B. Luke, L. Lyell, L. McCarthy, L. McColl of Dulwich, L. McConnell, L. McIntosh of Haringey, L. Mackay of Ardbrecknish, L. Mackay of Drumadoon, L. Mackie of Benshie, L. Mackintosh of Halifax, V. McNair, L. McNally, L. Maddock, B. Mallalieu, B. Mancroft, L. Mar, C. Marlesford, L. Marsh, L. Masham of Ilton, B. Massereene and Ferrard, V. Mayhew of Twysden, L. Merlyn-Rees, L. Merrivale, L. Mersey, V. Meston, L. Methuen, L. Milner of Leeds, L. Milverton, L. Minto, E. Mishcon, L. Molloy, L. Molyneaux of Killead, L. Monkswell, L. Monson, L. Montague of Oxford, L. Moran, L. Mottistone, L. Mountevans, L. Moyne, L. Moynihan, L. Munster, E. Murray of Epping Forest, L. Murton of Lindisfarne, L. Napier and Ettrick, L. Napier of Magdâla, L. Naseby, L. Nelson, E. Newby, L. Newton of Braintree, L. Nicholson of Winterbourne, B. Nicol, B. Noel-Buxton, L. Northbourne, L. Northesk, E. Northfield, L. Norton, L. O’Cathain, B. Orme, L. Orr-Ewing, L. Oxfuird, V. Palmer, L. Park of Monmouth, B. Paul, L. Pearson of Rannoch, L. Peel, E. Pender, L. Perry of Southwark, B. Perry of Walton, L. Peston, L. Peyton of Yeovil, L. Pilkington of Oxenford, L. Pitkeathley, B. Plant of Highfield, L. Plummer of St. Marylebone, L. Ponsonby of Shulbrede, L. Portland, E. Prentice, L. Prys-Davies, L. Puttnam, L. Quinton, L. Quirk, L. Ramsay of Cartvale, B. Randall of St. Budeaux, L. Rankeillour, L. Rathcreedan, L. Rawlings, B. Razzall, L. Rea, L. Redesdale, L. Rendell of Babergh, B. Renton, L. Renton of Mount Harry, L. Renwick, L. Ripon, Bp. Rix, L. Roberts of Conwy, L. Robson of Kiddington, B. Rochester, L. Rodgers of Quarry Bank, L. Rogers of Riverside, L. Rowallan, L. Russell, E. Ryder of Wensum, L. Sainsbury, L. St. Davids, V. St. John of Bletso, L. St. John of Fawsley, L. Saltoun of Abernethy, Ly. Sanderson of Bowden, L. Seccombe, B. Sefton of Garston, L. Selborne, E. Sempill, L. Serota, B. Sewel, L. Shannon, E. Shaw of Northstead, L. Shore of Stepney, L. Simon, V. Simon of Glaisdale, L. Simpson of Dunkeld, L. Skelmersdale, L. Skidelsky, L. Slim, V. Smith, L. Smith of Clifton, L. Smith of Gilmorehill, B. Stallard, L. Steel of Aikwood, L. Stewartby, L. Steyn, L. Stoddart of Swindon, L. Stone of Blackheath, L. Strabolgi, L. Strafford, E. Strange, B. Strathcarron, L. Strathclyde, L. Strathcona and Mount Royal, L. Sudeley, L. Suffolk and Berkshire, E. Swansea, L. Swinfen, L. Symons of Vernham Dean, B. Taylor of Blackburn, L. Taylor of Gryfe, L. Taylor of Warwick, L. Tebbit, L. Page 555 1997-98 Volume 231 Back to top Temple of Stowe, E. Tenby, V. Teviot, L. Teynham, L. Thomas of Gwydir, L. Thomas of Macclesfield, L. Thomas of Walliswood, B. Thomson of Monifieth, L. Thurlow, L. Thurso, V. Tope, L. Tordoff, L. Turner of Camden, B. Tweeddale, M. Ullswater, V. Vinson, L. Waddington, L. Walker of Doncaster, L. Walker of Worcester, L. Wallace of Saltaire, L. Walpole, L. Walton of Detchant, L. Warnock, B. Waverley, V. Weatherill, L. Wedderburn of Charlton, L. Westbury, L. Wharton, B. Whitty, L. Wigoder, L. Wilberforce, L. Williams of Crosby, B. Williams of Elvel, L. Williams of Mostyn, L. Willoughby de Broke, L. Winchilsea and Nottingham, E. Winston, L. Wise, L. Wright of Richmond, L. Young, B. Young of Old Scone, B. PRAYERS were read by the Lord Bishop of Ripon. Judicial Business 1. Banque Financière de la Citeú (Appellants) v. Parc (Battersea) Limited and others (Respondents)—The Report from the Appellate Committee was agreed to; it was ordered and adjudged that the Order of the Court of Appeal of 29th November 1996 be set aside and the Order of Mr Justice Robert Walker of 1st December 1994 be restored save that after the words “entitled to” in the declaration there shall be inserted the words “be treated as against OOL as if it had”; and that the second respondents do pay to the appellants their costs in the Court of Appeal and in this House, the amount of such last-mentioned costs to be certified by the Clerk of the Parliaments if not agreed between the parties. 2. City Council of Bristol (Appellants) v. Lovell (A.P.) (Respondent)—The Report from the Appellate Committee was agreed to; it was ordered and adjudged that the Order of the Court of Appeal of 30th July 1996 and the Order of Judge Batterbury of 17th July 1995 be set aside and that the cause be remitted to Judge Batterbury (or another judge in the Bristol County Court) to re-hear the appeal from the District Judge; that the costs of the Appellants in the Court of Appeal and in this House be paid out of the Legal Aid Fund in accordance with section 18 of the Legal Aid Act 1988, such order to be suspended for four weeks to allow the Legal Aid Board to object if they wish; that the amount of the costs in this House be certified by the Clerk of the Parliaments if not agreed between the parties; and that the costs of the respondent in this House be taxed in accordance with the Legal Aid Act 1988. 3. Stocznia Gdanska SA (Appellants) v. Latvian Shipping Company and others (Respondents)—The Report from the Appellate Committee was agreed to; it was ordered and adjudged that, in the first action, the Order of the Court of Appeal of 28th March 1996 be set aside insofar as it relates to the order made under Order 14A of the Rules of the Supreme Court; that the Order of Mr Justice Clarke of 14th December 1994 be restored; and that the Order of Mr Justice Longmore of 3rd October 1996 in respect of the contracts for vessels 1 and 2 be set aside; that, in the second action in respect of vessels 3 to 6, paragraphs 1 and 2 of the Order of the Court of Appeal of 28th March 1996 be affirmed and the appeal dismissed; that paragraph 3 of that order be set aside together with that part of the order of Mr Justice Longmore of 2nd October 1996 in which the particulars of damage of the contracts for these four vessels were struck out; that the Order of Mr Justice Colman of 15th March 1997 be set aside in respect of the first and second actions and that the two actions be remitted to the Commercial Court in accordance with the guidance set out in the penultimate paragraph of the speech of the Lord Goff of Chieveley; Counsel were heard on a question of costs; it was further ordered that the respondents do pay to the appellants their costs in the Court of Appeal and in this House in so far as they relate to the first action and that, in the second action, the appellants do pay to the respondents their costs before Mr Justice Waller, in the Court of Appeal and in this House; and that the respondents do pay to the appellants their costs before Mr Justice Longmore and in this House insofar as they relate to the striking out of the particulars of damage and their costs before Mr Justice Colman and in this House insofar as they relate to the amendment of the appellants’ Particulars of Claim, the amounts of the costs in this House to be certified by the Clerk of the Parliaments if not agreed between the parties. 4. LM Tenancies 1 Plc (Petitioners) v. Commissioners of Inland Revenue (Respondents)—The petition of LM Tenancies 1 Plc praying for leave to appeal was presented and referred to an Appeal Committee. 5. Appeal Committee—The following Order was made pursuant to the 33rd Report: Spargo (A.P.) (Petitioner) v. North Essex Health Authority (Respondents)—That the respondents’ costs be paid out of the Legal Aid Fund in accordance with section 18 of the Legal Aid Act 1988, such order to be suspended until 26th March to enable the Legal Aid Board to object if they wish. Page 556 1997-98 Volume 231 Back to top The House was adjourned during pleasure. The House was resumed. Papers 6. Negative Instruments—The following instruments were laid before the House and ordered to lie on the Table: 1. Education (Special Educational Needs) (Approval of Independent Schools) (Amendment) Regulations 1998, laid under the Education Act 1996;   (417) 2. Local Government Act 1988 (Defined Activities) (Exemption) (Harlow District Council and North Hertfordshire District Council) Order 1998, laid under the Local Government Act 1988;   (325) 3. Spreadable Fats (Marketing Standards) (Amendment) Regulations 1998, laid under the Food Safety Act 1990.   (452) 7. Papers not subject to parliamentary proceedings—The following papers were laid before the House and ordered to lie on the Table: 1. Report for 1996–97 on the Public Lending Right Scheme, laid under the Public Lending Right Act 1979; 2. Local Enforcing Authorities Air Pollution Fees and Charges Scheme (England and Wales) 1998, laid under the Environmental Protection Act 1990; 3. Treasury Minute dated 26th February 1998 on the application of certain receipts as appropriations in aid of the votes specified in the Spring supplementary estimates for 1997–98, laid under the Public Accounts and Charges Act 1891; 4. Statement of guarantee given by the Treasury in respect of loans proposed to be raised by the Commission for the New Towns, laid under the New Towns Act 1981. Select Committee Report 8. Ceremony of Introduction—A Report from the Select Committee was made and ordered to be printed (HL Paper 78), together with the minutes of evidence and memoranda (see appendix). (HL Paper 78-I) Public Business 9. Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Bill [HL]—The bill was read a third time; amendments were agreed to; then the bill was passed and sent to the Commons. 10. Teaching and Higher Education Bill [HL]—The bill was further considered on report; amendments were moved and (by leave of the House) withdrawn; amendments were agreed to; further consideration on report was adjourned after amendment 35. The House was adjourned during pleasure. The House was resumed. 11. Disability benefits—The Lord Ashley of Stoke asked Her Majesty’s Government what consideration has been given to the levels of disability benefits; after debate, the question was answered by the Baroness Hollis of Heigham. The House was adjourned at twenty-two minutes before nine o’clock till tomorrow, eleven o’clock. 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