HC Deb 19 October 1954 vol 531 c1105
The Lord Advocate

I beg to move, in page 3, line 15, to leave out Clause 2.

Mr. Willis

When the Lord Advocate moved the previous Amendment he stated that it would simplify the Bill and that the new subsection (6) would cover subsections (1 and 2) of Clause 2. May I ask him what will happen to subsection (3) of Clause 2?

The Lord Advocate

It is there still. That is the answer.

Mr. T. Fraser

The right hon. and learned Gentleman ought to treat the House with a little more respect. He says that the subsection is there still, although he has moved an Amendment to delete the whole of Clause 2. I ask him to treat the House with more courtesy.

Mr. Hoy

Surely the Lord Advocate will want to correct that statement, which will go on record. What the Lord Advocate has just said should not be left where it is. He has moved to delete the whole Clause, but when my hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh, East (Mr. Willis) asks what is to happen to subsection (3) of the Clause the right hon. and learned Gentleman says, "It remains where it is." Obviously, if we delete the whole Clause the subsection is bound to disappear with the remainder of the Clause. My hon. Friend is asking the Lord Advocate to say what is to happen to the subsection. If the Lord Advocate presses his Amendment to take out Clause 2, the subsection must go.

The Lord Advocate

It would be out of order for me to go into this matter in detail, but in point of fact subsection (3) of Clause 2 reappears in a later Amendment. If the House agrees to it, the subsection will remain in the Bill. It is true that the whole of Clause 2 goes out under this Amendment, but I hope that the subsection will not be lost but will remain in the Bill in the Amendment with which we shall deal later.

Mr. Willis

Which is the Amendment?

The Lord Advocate

The Amendment in page 4, line 40.

Amendment agreed to.