HOUSE OF LORDS
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
Die Veneris 24° Julii 1998
The House met at eleven o’clock.
PRAYERS were read by the Lord Bishop of Exeter.
Papers
1. Command Papers—The following papers were presented to the House by command of Her Majesty and ordered to lie on the Table:
1. Investment Protection—Agreement between the United Kingdom and Croatia for the promotion and protection of investments; (4013)
2. Public Service—Government response to the Report of the Select Committee on the Public Service; (4000)
3. Finance—Northern Ireland Department of Finance and Personnel Memorandum on the 38th Report of the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee. (4015)
2. Papers not subject to parliamentary proceedings—The following papers were laid before the House and ordered to lie on the Table:
1. Reports and Accounts for 1997-98:
(i) East of Scotland Water—
(ii) North of Scotland Water Authority—
(iii) West of Scotland Water—
laid under the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994;
2. Accounts for 1997-98 of the Arts Council of Wales Lottery Distribution, together with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General, laid under the National Lottery etc. Act 1993;
3. Report and Accounts for 1997-98 of the Patent Office, together with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General, laid under the Government Trading Funds Act 1973;
4. Reports for 1997 of the Medicines Act 1968 Advisory Bodies, laid under the Medicines Act 1968;
5. Report and Accounts for 1997-98 of Tower Hamlets Housing Action Trust, laid under the Housing Act 1988;
6. Report for 1998 of the British Tourist Authority, laid under the Development of Tourism Act 1969;
7. Accounts for 1996-97 of the Board of Trustees of the Armouries, together with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General, laid under the National Heritage Act 1983.
3. Instrument coming into operation before being laid—The Lord Chancellor acquainted the House that he had received, under the proviso to section 4(1) of the Statutory Instruments Act 1946, notification that the following instrument had come into operation before being laid before Parliament, with an explanation thereof; the notification and explanation were ordered to lie on the Table:
Food Protection (Emergency Prohibitions) (Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning) Order 1998 Partial Revocation Order 1998. (1801)
Public Business
4. Royal Assent—The Lord Chancellor notified the Queen’s Assent to the following Acts:
| School Standards and Framework Act | c. | 31 |
| Police (Northern Ireland) Act | c. | 32 |
5. Business of the House—It was moved by the Lord Privy Seal (Lord Richard) that Standing Order 38 (Arrangement of the Order Paper) be dispensed with on Wednesday 29th July to give, so far as is necessary, Her Majesty’s Government power to arrange the order of business; the motion was agreed to.
6. Pensions (Amendment) Bill [HL]— The order of commitment was discharged.
7. Private Hire Vehicles (London) Bill— The order of commitment was discharged.
8. Landmines Bill—The House resolved itself into a Committee upon the bill; amendments were moved and (by leave of the Committee) withdrawn; the House was resumed and the bill was reported without amendment; the report was received; then, Standing Order 44 having been suspended, the bill was read a third time and, after debate, passed.
The House was adjourned at twenty-seven minutes past one o’clock
to Monday next, half-past two o’clock.
MICHAEL DAVIES
Cler: Parliamentor: | 
