HC Deb 20 April 1978 vol 948 cc839-40
Mr. Moyle

I beg to move Amendment No. 12, in page 15, line 41, after "may" insert subject to subsection (3A) below".

Mr. Deputy Speaker

With this we are to take Government Amendments Nos. 13 and 14.

Mr. Moyle

The amendments fulfil another undertaking which I gave in Committee. We were able to agree, in response to an amendment put down by the Opposition, that the preliminary proceedings committee should not be able to exercise its powers to impose interim orders of either suspension or conditional registration unless the doctor concerned had been given the opportunity of appearing before the committee or being represented before it.

As this is a response to the Opposition, I presume that the House is likely to accept the amendments.

Dr. Vaughan

We welcome this amendment and are pleased that the Minister has accepted our point. Again, I think that he has worded it rather better than we did originally.

Amendment agreed to.

Amendments made: No. 13, in page 16, line 1, after "may", insert "subject to subsection (3A) below".

No. 14, in page 16, line 9, at end insert— (3A) No order for interim suspension or for interim conditional registration shall be made by the Preliminary Proceedings Committee in respect of any person unless he has been afforded an opportunity of appearing before the Committee and being heard on the question whether such an order should be made in his case; and for the purposes of this subsection a person may be represented before the Committee by counsel or a solicitor, or (if rules under paragraph 5 of Schedule 4 to this Act so provide and he so elects) by a person of such other description as may be specified in the rules."—[Mr. Moyle.]

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