HC Deb 06 July 1966 vol 731 c581

10.30 p.m.

Mrs. Shirley Williams

I beg to move Amendment No. 2, in page 7, line 13, to leave out "before" and to insert "after". This is what one might describe as a small touch of "Alice in Wonderland". Such things do sometimes overtake Measures coming before the House, and the purpose of the Amendment is simply to correct an unfortunate error in the Clause.

Sir K. Joseph

We do not want to interfere with this major alteration, but I must ask the hon. Lady whether, in the vast and dingy hierarchy of Government legislation, there has ever been a longer sentence. There are no fewer than 209 words in it, and it can be understood, I suggest, only if set to music. But we agree that, within that very long sentence, the word should be after" and not "before".

Amendment agreed to.