HC Deb 13 March 1967 vol 743 cc12-5

Considered in Committee; reported, without Amendment.

Motion made, and Question proposed, That the Bill be now read the Third time.

10.31 a.m.

Mr. David Webster (Weston-super-Mare)

Is there a Minister from the Department of Education and Science present to explain how the Bill now stands?

Mr. Speaker

That is not a matter for the Chair.

Mr. Webster

In that case, Mr. Speaker, is it possible for me to ask for an explanation of the present situation in connection with the Bill, so that the House may know what is going on?

Mr. Speaker

It is possible for the hon. Gentleman to ask for it, but it is not for the Chair to give it.

Mr. Webster

This is an extraordinary situation, Mr. Speaker, and we need your guidance. Legislation is being put through the House with no Minister here to explain it to us. I would beg to move that the House adjourns while we wait for the appropriate Minister to come to explain this legislation.

Mr. Speaker

I am not prepared to accept that Motion.

The Solicitor-General (Sir Dingle Foot)

As is customary on consolidation Measures, I am present to give the House any assistance that I can. This is a pure consolidation Measure. It has been considered by the Joint Committee, which has reported that it is pure consolidation. It raises no new point of law, and it was considered by the House on Second Reading. In my submission, there are no points which arise on Third Reading. The only issue before us is whether it is desirable that the law should be consolidated in the way proposed. We have heard no arguments to the contrary in this debate.

Mr. Webster

I thank the hon. and learned Gentleman for his clear explanation, and congratulate him on his versatility in giving us a lucid view on education when he is not a Minister in the Department.

I should like to know whether the Government's interference in any negotiations at present before the Burnham Committee will affect this Bill. The House would not wish to allow this type of legislation to be rushed through when there is difficult and dangerous interference with precedent in the way that the Government have clearly gone against the original intention of the reconstitution of the Burnham Committee about three years ago—

Mr. Speaker

Order. On Third Reading, we can discuss what is in the Bill. We cannot discuss the reconstitution of the Burnham Committee.

Mr. Webster

May I ask the hon. and learned Gentleman if the present negotiations on teachers' salaries require that an element of remuneration and superannuation—

Mr. Speaker

Order. This cannot be discussed on this Third Reading. This is a consolidation Measure, as the hon. Gentleman knows.

Question put and agreed to.

Bill accordingly read the Third Time and passed, without Amendment.

    cc14-5
  1. ADJOURNMENT 36 words
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