House of Lords Bill [HL]

My Lords, I am well aware of that. The noble Lord, Lord McNally, was the one who said I always spoke in these debates. I venture to suggest that in the past 10 or 11 years—perhaps even longer than that—that we have been debating House of Lords reform, I have always taken part. I am well aware of the views of this House, not least of my own Back Benches. That is precisely why I believe that the groups should be allowed to do their work. I have found it interesting that over recent months people have called for consensus and consideration of the details, but today there is a message of haste: ““Let’s do this quickly. So great is the problem that faces this House that we need the Bill passed and put in place at once””. Consensus and taking the trouble to get this right are not compatible with speed. The groups should be allowed to do their work, and if then there is still a desire for the Bill or something like it—I venture to suggest that there will be—it should in the first instance be introduced in another place to hear the views of the elected House, rather than the extremely well enunciated views that we have heard in your Lordships’ House today.