HC Deb 28 March 1956 vol 550 c2284

10.19 p.m.

The Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Mr. Henry Brooke)

I beg to move, in page 5, line 15, to leave out "appointed day" and to insert "passing of this Act."

The apparently formidable list of eight Government Amendments on the Order Paper narrows down to one single point. It will be in the recollection of the Members of the Standing Committee on the Bill that in the Committee I gave an undertaking that the Bill should be made to operate from 1st April. It is now all too clear that the Bill cannot possibly reach the Statute Book by that date. I am advised, therefore, that the proper procedure is thus to recommit the Bill and to ask the Committee to agree to these eight Amendments, which are all designed to have the one effect, that is, to write into the Bill 1st April as the effective date of the coming into operation of the Bill. That was the decision of the Committee. There is no other point that arises on any of the eight Amendments.

Amendment agreed to.

Clause, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.