HC Deb 17 July 1925 vol 186 cc1768-9

Lords Amendment:

In page 1, line 22, at the end, insert (b) that her husband while suffering from a venereal disease, and knowing that he was so suffering, insisted on having sexual intercourse with her.

Mr. LOCKER-LAMPSON

I beg to move, "That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment."

The first Amendment covers a point made by my hon. Friend the Member for Devizes (Mr. Hurd) and also by another hon. Member. They were not quite satisfied in regard to the question of venereal disease that Section 4 of the Act of 1895 covered the point that was meant to be covered in this Bill. We went into the point very carefully, and our opinion was that that Act did cover the point, but as the hon. Members concerned were not quite satisfied, we asked the Lord Chancellor in the other House to look into the matter again, and in order to make the question perfectly clear, an Amendment was drafted which I hope the House will now accept.

Lords Amendment:

In page 2, line 8, at the end, insert and any such Order shall cease to have effect if for a period of three months after it is made the married woman continues to reside with her husband.

Mr. LOCKER-LAMPSON

I beg to move "That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment."

This Amendment is in order to bring this Bill into relation with the Guardianship of Infants Bill with which we have just dealt. The Amendment sets out exactly the period which we have already adopted in the former Bill.

Lords Amendment:

After Clause 1, insert