§ Order of the Day for the Second Reading read.
VISCOUNT GAGEMy Lords, on behalf of my noble friend the Duke of Sutherland I beg to move the Second Reading of this Bill. As your Lordships are aware, the current Act expires on the 30th of this month as regards Great Britain and Ireland and the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, and therefore it is necessary that this Bill should be passed before the end of this month. There are two technical amendments which the Bill introduces but they involve no important question of principle and are, I think, fully explained in the notes to the clauses. I believe it is not 2 usual to discuss this Bill at any great length in this House and I therefore do not propose to say anything more unless any noble Lord desires it.
§ Moved, That the Bill be now read 2a.—(Viscount Gage.)
§ LORD PARMOORMy Lords, I agree with the noble Viscount opposite that this is not a Bill which requires any discussion in this House. I have looked carefully through the proposed amendments, which are very well explained in the Memorandum attached to the Bill and do not involve any question of principle. So far as we are concerned there is no opposition whatever and I think the noble Viscount has adopted the right attitude.
§ On Question, Bill read 2a, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House.