Clause 42.—(EXTENSION OF BOARD OF TRADE'S POWERS OF INVESTIGATION TO CERTAIN BODIES INCORPORATED OUTSIDE GREAT BRITAIN.)

HC Deb 19 July 1967 vol 750 cc2366-7

Mr. Darling

I beg to move Amendment No. 216, in page 42, line 23, after 'bodies', to insert 'corporate'.

I will not tell the House the rude words used in Committee by hon. Members opposite about the words … bodies corporate incorporated outside Great Britain". We underook to put this right.

Mr. Corfield

The right hon. Gentleman has not put it right but has made it worse. At least he has now produced consistency, and in every case a body corporate is called a "body corporate incorporated", but this is the wrong direction. I cannot see how a body incorporated in Great Britain, Northern Ireland or Timbuctoo can be anything other than a body corporate. I defy any hon. Member, or the Board of Trade, or, indeed, you, Mr. Speaker, to produce a dictionary definition of a corporate body which has not been incorporated or a body which has been incorporated but is not a corporate body. If that is so, then it is unnecessary to put the word in the Bill, and if we deleted it wherever it occurs, we should shorten the Bill by three words throughout the Bill. We should also have much better English and should make it clear that we know what we are talking about. As it is, we indicate that we do not know what we are talking about. I do not think the right hon. Member's Amendment has improved the Bill at all.

Amendment agreed to.