POST OFFICE CONSOLIDATION BILL [H.L.] (Hansard, 19 November 1908)

§ THE LORD CHANCELLOR
My Lords, I think it would be convenient 1360 that I should, in a very few words, state to your Lordships what this Committee stage amounts to. This is a Bill which was referred to a Joint Select Committee of both Houses, and is for the purpose purely of consolidation. The Committee went through the Bill and reported that, as far as it could do so, it, exactly reproduced the law. In addition, they recommended certain Amendments, in respect of which they said— Some slight modifications of the law, which would not substantially alter it but tend to convenience, were suggested. The Committee have considered these suggestions, and recommend that the Amendments set out below be made. None of them affects the existing law in any important point; but, as they may affect it in some degree, they can hardly be called verbal Amendments. I propose to move that the Amendments recommended by the Committee be inserted en bloc. I am extremely anxious, in this very valuable work of consolidating the law, that the Committee should be absolutely loyal to the directions of the House, and that, unless it is quite clear that the law is merely reproduced, they should report the Bill in the consolidated form and describe the nature of the Amendments before the House is asked to accept them. These Amendments really are of a kind that ought to be accepted for convenience. They were unanimously recommended by the Committee, and I hope your Lordships will insert them.

§ LORD ASHBOURNE
I assume that we may take the Memorandum attached to the Bill as, in the opinion of the Government, a full and accurate statement of the position?

§ THE LORD CHANCELLOR
Yes. The Amendments were unanimously recommended by the Joint Committee of both Houses, and this is the procedure we propose to adopt in the work of consolidation in future.