HC Deb 17 July 1968 vol 768 cc1607-8

Lords Amendment No. 9: In page 17, line 30, leave out from "such" to "as" in line 31 and insert "inspection chambers or manholes".

Mr. Buchan

I beg to move, That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment.

This is purely a drafting Amendment which puts the reference from the singular into the plural, because we might require a plural purpose in the way of two inspection chambers or manholes.

Mr. Wylie

I do not wish to detain the House, but I was always under the impression that the Interpretation Act states that the singular includes the plural and the plural includes the singular. Is this Amendment necessary?

Mr. Buchan

I take the point, but in the following condition—subsection (3)(1)(l)—there is a plural reference which it would be difficult to put into the singular, and in the circumstances it might be better to put the singular into the plural in this case.

Question put and agreed to.

Forward to