Constitution

My Lords, I welcome my noble friend’s characteristically clear exposition of the relationship between the two Houses on war powers and treaties and his view, quite rightly, that in these areas—particularly war powers—the primacy of the Commons should be unarguable, if only for the practical reason that it would be a very bizarre constitution that provided for one House to agree to war powers and the other House to disagree. That is not the kind of subject that can be resolved by means of ping-pong. Can my noble friend assure us that the relationship between the two Houses, the powers of the two Houses and the subject of the Cunningham report will need to be central to any discussion—I hope it is to the all-party discussions that are taking place—and to any future discussions about a fundamental reform of this House?