§ Amendment proposed: No. 158, in page 98, line 8, leave out "£25" and insert "£10".—[Mr. Eyre.]
178§ Mr. Deputy Speaker (Mr. Bernard Weatherill)It will be convenient to discuss at the same time Government amendments Nos. 159 to 221.
§ Mr. Clinton DavisThis group of amendments would reduce substantially the penalties for defaulting companies. It is in sharp contrast to the vendetta that this Government mount against so-called "scroungers" of social security that in this sort of matter they themselves introduced these penalties in another place but have now decided substantially to amend them. They have one approach for defaulting companies and quite another for people on the slagheap of despair.
§ Mr. EyreThis is not a time for spurious indignation. I do not believe that the hon. Member for Hackney, Central (Mr. Davis) is right. There is a technical reason for the amendments, with one exception. The old penalties were set out as a result of the mistaken idea that section 3 of the Criminal Penalties Act 1967 applied to offences of this type. The amendments correct that mistaken idea. The new mode of trial and penalty is set out in schedule 4, which does not have the effect which the hon. Member for Hackney, Central believes it to have.
§ Amendment agreed to.
§ Amendments made: No. 159, in page 98, line 14, leave out "£25" and insert "£5".
§ No. 160, in page 98, line 20, leave out "£25" and insert "£5".
§ No. 161, in page 99, line 25, leave out "£25" and insert "£5".
§ No. 162, in page 101, line 16, leave out "£25" and insert "£5".
§ No. 163, in page 101, line 22, leave out "£25" and insert "£5".
§ No. 164, in page 102, line 21, leave out "£25" and insert "£5".
§ No. 165, in page 102, line 27, leave out "£25" and insert "£5".
§ No. 166, in page 103, line 6, leave out "£25" and insert "£5".
§ No. 167, in page 103, line 28, leave out "£25" and insert "£2".
§ No. 168, in page 104, line 27, leave out "£25" and insert "£5".
§ No. 169, in page 105, line 13, leave out "£25" and insert "£2".
179§ No. 170, in page 106, line 12, out "£25" and insert "£2".
§ No. 171, in page 106, line 24, out "£25" and insert "£5".
§ No. 172, in page 107, out "£25" and insert "£5".
§ No. 173, in page 107, out "£25" and insert "£5".
§ No. 174, in page 107, line 25, out "£25" and insert "£2".
§ No. 175, in page 107, line 30, out "£25" and insert "£5".
§ No. 176, in page 108, line 6, out "£25" and insert "£5".
§ No. 177, in page 108, line 12, leave out "£25" and insert "£5".
§ No. 178, in page 108, line 18, leave out "£25" and insert "£5".
§ No. 179, in page 108, line 24, leave out "£25" and insert "£5".
§ No. 180, in page 109, line 16, leave out "£25" and insert "£2".
§ No. 181, in page 110, line 6, leave out "£25" and insert "£2".
§ No. 182, in page 110, line 17, leave out "£25" and insert "£5".
§ No. 183, in page 110, line 25, leave out "£25" and insert "£2".
§ No. 184, in page 111, line 16, leave out "£25" and insert "£5".
§
No. 185, in page 111, column 3, leave out lines 24 to 28 and insert—
'On conviction on indictment, a term of imprisonment not exceeding six months or a fine or both.'.
§
No. 186, in page 112, column 3, leave out lines 5 to 9 and insert—
'On conviction on indictment, a term of imprisonment not exceeding six months or a fine or both.'.
§ No. 187, in page 112, line 16, leave out '£25' and insert '£5'.
§ No. 188, in page 112, line 27, leave out '£25' and insert '£5'.
§ No. 189, in page 113, line 21, leave out '£25' and insert '£5'.
§ No. 190, in page 114, line 23, leave out '£25' and insert '£5'.
§ No. 191, in page 115, line 6, leave out '£25' and insert '£10'.
§
No. 192, in page 115, column 3, leave out lines 24 to 28 and insert—
180
'On conviction on indictment, a term of imprisonment not exceeding six months or a fine or both.'.
§ No. 193, in page 116, line 12, leave out '£25' and insert '£5'.
§ No. 194, in page 116, line 18, leave out '£25' and insert '£5'.
§ No. 195, in page 117, line 9, leave out '£25' and insert '£5'.
§ No. 196, in page 117, line 15, leave out '£25' and insert '£5'.
§ No. 197, in page 117, line 24, leave out '£25' and insert '£5'.
§ No. 198, in page 120, line 24, leave out '£25' and insert '£5'.
§ No. 199, in page 121, line 9, leave out '£25' and insert '£5'.
§ No. 200, in page 121, line 15, leave out '£25' and insert '£10'.
§ No. 201, in page 121, line 21, leave out '£25' and insert '£5'.
§ No. 202, in page 122, line 13, leave out '£25' and insert '£5'.
§ No. 203, in page 123, line 6, leave out '£25' and insert '£5'.
§ No. 204, in page 123, line 13, leave out '£25' and insert '£5'.
§ No. 205, in page 123, line 18, leave out '£25' and insert '£5'.
§ No. 206, in page 123, line 25, leave out '£25' and insert '£5'.
§ No. 207, in page 124, line 6, leave out '£25' and insert '£5'.
§ No. 208, in page 125, line 12, leave out '£25' and insert '£5'.
§ No. 209, in page 125, line 18, leave out '£25' and insert '£5'.
§ No. 210, in page 126, line 12, leave out '£25' and insert '£5'.
§ No. 211, in page 126, line 19, leave out '£25' and insert '£5'.
§ No. 212, in page 127, line 19, leave out '£25' and insert '£5'.
§ No. 213, in page 127, line 23, leave out '£25' and insert '£5'.
§ No. 214, in page 129, line 17, leave out '£25' and insert '£5'.
§ No. 215, in page 129, line 26, column 4, leave out paragraph (a).
§ No. 216, in page 130, line 27, column 3, leave out from 'continues' to end of line 29.
181§ No. 217, in page 131, line 6, leave out '£25' and insert '£5'.
§ No. 218, in page 131, line 17, column 3, leave out from 'continues' to end of line 19.
§ No. 219, in page 131, line 25, leave out '£25' and insert '£5'.
§ No. 220, in page 132, line 8, leave out '£25' and insert '£5'.
§ No. 221, in page 132, line 21, column 3, leave out from 'continues' to end of line 23.—[Mr. Eyre.]
§ Mr. John SmithThe Opposition are happy not to move the rest of their amendments, and we suggest that the Government propose their amendments formally.