§ Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, supported by Sir Geoffrey Howe, Mr Michael Jopling, Mr Peter Rees, Mr Malcolm Rifkind, Mr John Moore, Mr Barney Hayhoe and Mr Ian Stewart, presented (under Standing Order No 111 (Procedure upon Bills whose main object is to create a charge upon the public revenue)) a Bill to amend the definition of 'the Treaties' and 'the Community Treaties' in section 1(2) of the European Communities Act 1972 so as to include the decision, of 7 May 1985, of the Council of the Communities on the Communities' system of own resources and the undertaking made by the Representatives of the Governments of the member States, meeting within the Council of 23 and 24 April 1085 in Brussels, to make payments to finance the Communities' general budget for the financial year 1985 And the same was read the First time, and ordered to be read a Second time upon Monday 17 June and to be printed [Bill 158 ]
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§ Mr. Nigel Spearing (Newham, South)On a point of order, Mr Speaker You may recall that during the autumn there was a case in the High Court and an appeal—I refer to the case of Smedley v. the Crown—which had an impact on the procedures and powers of the House This Bill seeks to define retrospectively two agreements made on 7 May, and on 23 and 24 April I give you notice, Mr Speaker, that I may wish to raise the question of the Bill's influence and effect on last autumn's proceedings
§ Mr. SpeakerI thank the hon. Gentleman for giving me notice, but the presentation of a Bill is a formal procedure, giving authority for the Bill to be printed Doubtless we shall all know what it contains once it has been printed