§ Clause 1, page 2, line 7, leave out ("breach of the contract of") and insert ("non-payment of rent or breach of any term or condition of the").
§ Moved, That this House doth agree with the Commons in the said Amendment.—(The Earl of Ancaster.)
1023§ THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURYI hope the noble Earl will explain to US whether there is anything of substance in these Amendments.
§ THE EARL OF ANCASTERThe Amendments which have just been agreed to—
§ THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURYDo not go back to what we have done.
§ THE EARL OF ANCASTERThis is the question of re-entry.
THE LORD CHANCELLORAllow me to reassure the noble Marquess by saying that the Amendment to line 7 does not involve a point of grave substance.
§ THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURYPerhaps I should explain. I do not desire to interfere with the noble Earl in any way wantonly or unnecessarily. So far as I know there is nothing to be objected to in the Amendment, but I think that, in the interests of your Lordships' House, I ought to say that it is a growing and rather an evil practice that we should be asked to agree to Amendments of considerable substance without any explanation at all from the Minister who is responsible. I do not refer, of course, to drafting Amendments, or even to Amendments of small import, but wherever my noble friend moves to agree with an Amendment of importance which the other House has inserted, I think it is only due to the dignity of your Lordships' House that he should explain exactly what we are doing.
§ THE EARL OF ANCASTERIn response to what the noble Marquess has said, I shall have great pleasure in doing so.
THE LORD CHANCELLORIn the meantime the noble Earl moves to agree with the Amendment to line 7 in the conviction that no such point arises.
§ On Question, Motion agreed to.