HC Deb 20 June 1930 vol 240 cc741-2

Message from the Lords:

The Lords agree to the Amendment made by the Commons in page 5, line 43, with the following Amendments:

Line 2, after ("application") insert ("or")

Line 2, leave out ("or order")

Line 3, after ("application") insert ("or")

Line 4, leave out ("or order")

Commons Amendment:

In line 43, at the end, insert the words: The Board of Control shall upon the signed request of any person who considers himself to be unjustly detained under such application, recommendation, or order, furnish to him or to his authorised representative free of cost a copy of such application, recommendation, or order.

Lords Amendment to Commons Amendment:

In line 2, after the word "application" insert the word "or".

The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of HEALTH (Miss Lawrence)

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

Mr. HOLFORD KNIGHT

May I ask in what line this Amendment is made? The Lords Amendment says "line 2", but I think it is line 3 which is indicated.

Mr. CHARLES WILLIAMS

It seems to be that line 2 ought to be line 3. It is in line 3 that the word "application" occurs. There appear to have been two or three misprints in this case. The words referred to in the next Lords Amendment, although they appear on the Paper as being in line 2, are in lines 3 and 4; and in the case of the third Lords Amendment, instead of being in line 3 the words should be in line 5. The fourth Lords Amendment occurs in line 6 instead of in line 4, as stated.

Mr. SPEAKER

It appears to be quite right.

Dr. VERNON DAVIES

With all respect, Sir, it is impossible to follow from the Paper setting out the Lords Amendments what it is that is being done. It is impossible to follow what "application" means. We have no idea what it is that we are discussing.

Sir BOYD MERRIMAN

Would it not be better if the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Health were to tell us exactly what this Amendment does mean and what it is that has been effected?

Mr. SPEAKER

The Clerk had better read the whole Amendment.

The CLERK read the Amendment as followeth: The Beard of Control shall upon the signed request of any person who considers himself to be unjustly detained under such application, recommendation or order furnish to him or to his authorised representative free of cost a copy of such application, recommendation or order.

Miss LAWRENCE

The position is simply that the class of patients with whom we are dealing here are not patients in respect of whom an order has been made. The words "or order" were dropped in inadvertently and are not applicable here. That is the whole point of these Amendments.

Question, "That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment," put, and agreed to.

Subsequent Lords Amendments to Commons Amendment agreed to.

Commons Amendment:

After Clause 16 insert