HC Deb 10 February 1965 vol 706 cc442-3
Mr. Diamond

I beg to move, in page 21, line 43, column 3, to leave out "The whole Act" and insert: Section 1, and in section 2 the words from 'and shall be of an amount' to the end of the section". I can explain this Amendment briefly. It limits the extent of the repeal of the Ministerial Salaries Act, 1946, so as to leave unchanged that part of the Act which prescribes that salaries may be paid to such numbers of Lords in Waiting, not exceeding three, as the Treasury may determine.

I took it to be the wish of hon. Members throughout our discussions—not only on this Bill, but on previous ones—that there should not be additional flexibility or as hon. Members opposite have said, additional patronage given to the Prime Minister in any unnecessary way. Indeed, that is a principle we all support. All good democrats and parliamentarians support it. It is because by an oversight a provision had been omitted which had this effect that I am bringing this Amendment forward. The patronage to which I am referring is the Prime Minister's patronage in respect of Lords in Waiting.

As the Bill stands that patronage is unlimited. It was not intended that this should be so and as I say an oversight crept in. I am moving the Amendment deliberately because the Government, on their own initiative, wish to restrict and remove that patronage which was not intended, but which crept in.

Amendment agreed to.

Further Amendments made: In page 21, line 45, leave out lines 45 to 47.

In page 22, line 15, at end add:

9 & 10 Eliz. 2. c. 30 The Department of Technical Co-operation Act 1961. The whole Act.
1964 c. 98. The Ministers of the Crown Act 1964. In Schedule 2, part II (in Schedule 2 to the House of Commons Disqualification Act 1957 as amended) the entry "Secretary for Technical Co-operation".
—[Mr. Diamond.]

Schedule, as amended, agreed to.

6.43 p.m.

Mr. Diamond

I beg to move, That the Bill be now read the Third time.

I do not think that it is the wish of the House that there should be a long debate on this Motion. We have discussed the Bill fully on Second Reading, in Committee and on Report.

Question put and agreed to.

Bill accordingly read the Third time and passed.