§ Mr. E. RowlandsI beg to move Amendment No. 42, in page 66, line 25, leave out 'seven' and insert 'twentyone'.
It may be for the convenience of the House to consider Government Amendment No. 43 at the same time.
These Amendments fulfil an undertaking given in Committee to consider further the periods provided in subsection (6). I again pay tribute to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, West (Mr. Stodart) for the points he raised in Committee which we have incorporated in the Amendments. We gave detailed consideration to the time needed to make requisite arrangements, taking into account possible delays and other contingencies that the hon. Gentleman and other hon. Members described in Committee. This review has led us to conclude that the extended times proposed in Committee by Opposition Members form a far more satisfactory basis. Accordingly, with one minor difference, they have been incorporated in the Amendments.
The exception to which I have just referred is that notice to the analyst should be required before the seventh rather than the eighth day preceding the court hearing. A clear week seemed a more 450 normal time than eight days proposed by hon. Gentlemen.
§ Mr. StodartI am much obliged to the Minister. The original time in the Bill was impracticable, particularly for the rather remoter areas in the far North. I suspect that what came into my head in putting down the Amendments may have been inspired by a recollection of similar Amendments long ago by the right hon. Member for Edinburgh, East (Mr. Willis).
§ Amendment agreed to.
§ Further Amendment made: No. 43, in page 66, line 26, leave out 'third' and insert 'seventh'.