HC Deb 05 November 1975 vol 899 cc487-8

Lords Amendment: No. 14, in page 18, line 26, after "pipe-line" insert "can and".

Mr. John Smith

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

This is a small drafting change to make explicit that the Secretary of State is to consider whether a pipeline "can" be modified as well as "should" be modified before he can exercise his power. It brings the drafting of the subsection (1)(b) into line with that of subsection (1)(a), as amended in Committee.

Mr. Patrick Jenkin

Without quoting the actual words of the noble Lord, Lord Balogh, I can say that when my noble Friends moved the amendment in another place he addressed them as if they had gone out of their minds. I am delighted to see that wiser counsels have prevailed and that the Government have accepted that it was a very sensible drafting amendment.

Question put and agreed to.

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