Moved by
That it is desirable that a Select Committee be appointed to
consider the long-term implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on
the economic and social wellbeing of the United Kingdom.
The Lord Privy Seal ()
(Con)
My Lords, in its first report of this Session, the Liaison
Committee recommended that a new Select Committee be set up to
look at the long-term implications of Covid-19. This Motion is
the first part of the process to make that happen. I beg to move.
(Lab)
I think that only two of us who are in the Chamber at the moment
were on the Liaison Committee that agreed this proposal. Clearly,
we welcome it; it went through very fast. It plays absolutely to
the strengths of this House, which is why we thought it
appropriate that we do it. Given the particular expertise in this
House, whether on the part of those who have international
experience or of those with experience in health or the Civil
Service, it plays to all the strengths that we have. It was for
that reason that we mentioned that we should look
internationally—we were thinking about some of the international
agencies that could or could not have been better involved—but
also cross-department. We are very conscious that the House of
Commons will look at specific angles; the idea was not to cover
that but to look across government.
Certainly, from our side, but I think also from everyone on the
Liaison Committee, we wish this committee well.
Motion agreed.
