§ Lords amendment: No. 10, in page 10, line 19, leave out from ("instrument") to end of line 20.
1580§ Mr. RifkindI beg to move, That this House cloth agree with the Lords in the said amendment.
The amendment simply deletes from the Bill the power for the Secretary of State to bring in the different provisions in the Bill on different days. It is intended that the Act should be brought into effect on a single day by statutory instrument. The provision in the Bill is therefore irrelevant. On that basis, I invite the House to agree to the amendment.
§ Mr. Harry Ewing (Stirling, Falkirk and Grangemouth)Will the Minister state the date on which the Bill is likely to be brought into effect? He will appreciate that there is great interest in the matter throughout Scotland.
§ Mr. RifkindI cannot give a specific date. I agree that it is important that the Bill be brought into effect as soon as possible. As the hon. Gentleman is aware, it was separated from the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Bill in order that it could be brought forward as a matter of urgency. Now that it is likely to complete its parliamentary passage, we expect it to be brought into effect in the very near future. I cannot give the hon. Gentleman a specific date, but he can rest assured that it will be the earliest possible date.
§ Mr. EwingIs there anything that might hold up the passage of the Bill? Is there anything that would prevent the Government from bringing it into force at the earliest possible date? Will the Minister state whether cuts in staff in the sheriff courts might give the Government cause for concern as to the date on which the Bill might be brought into force?
§ Mr. RifkindThe sheriff court, as part of the law and order system, is of course exempt from the restraints on expenditure which the Government are pursuing. There is no reason of which I am aware why the hon. Gentleman need be concerned about the date on which the Bill takes effect.
§ Question put and agreed to.