§ Mr. SharplesI beg to move Amendment No. 1 in page 2, line 30, leave out
'and Schedule 1 to this Act'.This Amendment is a paving one to a number of others. It might, therefore, be for the convenience of the House if they were taken together the others being: No. 18 in page 29, line 6, Schedule 1, leave out 'Ministers' and insert 'Secretary of State'.No. 19 in line 7, Schedule 1, leave out 'they consider' and insert' he considers'.
No. 21 in line 10, Schedule 1, leave out ' Ministers' and insert 'Secretary of State'.
No. 22 in line 12, Schedule 1, leave out ' Ministers' and insert 'Secretary of State'.
No. 23 in line 22, Schedule 1, leave out ' Ministers' and insert 'Secretary of State'.
No. 24 in line 32, Schedule 1, leave out 'the Ministers' and insert 'him'.
No. 25 in line 35, Schedule 1, leave out 'Ministers' and insert "Secretary of State'.
§ Mr. Deputy Speaker (Sir Robert Grant-Ferris)If the House so agrees.
§ Mr. SharplesThere is a reference in Clause 1(4) to the Ministers who will be concerned with the appointment of members of the Advisory Council. There was much discussion of this in Committee when the Bill was originally introduced by the previous Government and also when it was reintroduced later.
There is no intention of amending the subsection, save to leave out the words "and Schedule 1 to this Act" because while the consultation and discussion should naturally take place between Ministers—it was made clear in Committee the wide range of interests which the Advisory Council will have to con- 578 sider—the actual appointments should be made by one Minister, and that is the Secretary of State.
This is constitutionally correct and means that only one Minister will sign the letters of appointment. As drafted, it would mean that they would have to be signed by a variety of Ministers, and this would cause unnecessary delay and confusion.
§ Mr. Elystan MorganI have no objection whatever to the constitutional propriety and prudence of the Amendment.
§ Amendment agreed to.