§ Order for Second Reading read.
§ 9.59 p.m.
§ The Solicitor-General (Sir Geoffrey Howe)I beg to move, That the Bill be now read a Second time.
This Bill does nothing but consolidate legislation on this subject, including the last Bill which was passed earlier this year. It has been through all its stages in another place. It was considered by the Joint Committee on 23rd June of this year, and the Committee reported that there was nothing which required to be referred to the attention of this House. It is in fact no more than a restatement in convenient forms of the existing provisions on the Statute Book on this subject.
§ 10.0 p.m.
§ Mr. Roy Mason (Barnsley)I shall not delay the House more than a minute. Six Acts are referred to here. Most of them were ours, or flowed from drafting before 1970, and I do not think there is any point in the regurgitation of old speeches. I know the Bill cannot be amended, but it has our approval.
§ Question put and agreed to.
§ Bill accordingly read a Second time.
§ Bill committed to a Committee of the whole House.—[Mr. Tim Fortescue.]
§ Committee tomorrow.