§ 10.45 p.m.
§ Mr. ThorntonI beg to move Amendment No. 31, Clause 11, in page 10, line 42, at end insert:
whether in pursuance of an application made by all or any of the parties to the agreement in question or without any such application".1729 This Amendment is intended to remove a possible ambiguity in subsection (4) as to the circumstances in which the Minister may revoke an exemption order under Clause 11. We have always intended that the Minister should be left free to revoke an exemption order without having to wait for an application from all or any of the parties concerned. I am advised that the present wording of subsection (4) may not be free from ambiguity on this point, and this Amendment makes the position clear.I think it is desirable that the Minister should have full discretion in this matter. The agreement on the basis of which the original exemption order was made may well have been modified with the passage of time and some of the parties to it may have withdrawn. Circumstances may well have arisen where it would no longer be reasonable to maintain the exemption order in force, and I think the Minister should be given discretion to revoke the order without having to wait for an application from the parties. Normally, no doubt the Minister would not revoke an order unless this was the wish of the parties, but I think we must make it clear that he can, if necessary, look at an agreement as it has evolved since the order was made and decide, if he sees fit, that it is no longer reasonable for the order to continue.
§ Amendment agreed to.