§ Mr. SpeakerBefore I call the Chancellor of the Exchequer to make his statement, I have a brief statement to make about the Lords amendments to the Inner Urban Areas Bill.
I must point out that Lords amendment no. 14 imposes a charge which under our Standing Orders requires to be sanctioned by a Money Resolution moved by a Minister of the Crown. No resolution has been agreed to.
A similar situation arose in April of this year in regard to certain Lords amendments to the Shipbuilding (Redundancy Payments) Bill. I advised the House then, as I have to advise the House now, that in those circumstances a decision to agree to amendments of this nature would be absolutely unprecedented. Standing Orders 89 and 90, which govern our procedures in this matter, are so unquestionably observed that I do not think that the House can properly discuss an amendment which contravenes them.
In view of this, although it is clear that the House must come to a decision on Lords amendment no. 14, I can see no way in which a debate on it could conceivably be in order. Without therefore in any way passing judgment on the merit of the amendment, I am certain that I have no option open to me, when we reach that amendment, but to call on the Minister to move that the House disagrees with the Lords in the amendment and, when he has done so, to put the Question straight away.