§ 5.0 p.m.
§ Amendments reported (according to Order).
§ Clause 1 [Chairman and deputy chairmen of Commission]:
§ LORD SILKIN moved, in subsection (1) to substitute "three" [deputy chairmen] for "two." The noble Lord said: My Lords, I beg to move the Amendment standing in my name. On the Committee stage yesterday we had an interesting discussion on the maximum number of deputy chairmen that might be appointed to act on behalf of the Commission. I thought there ought to be a maximum of four; the Bill says two, and the noble Lord, Lord Mancroft, in the course of argument, suggested that the Government might be prepared to accept a compromise halfway between two and four. I do not know whether they are still of the same mind. If the noble Lord nods his head vertically, that is equivalent to saying that he will accept the Amendment, in which case I need say nothing more than that I beg to move.
§
Amendment moved—
Page 1, line 8, leave out ("two") and insert ("three").—(Lord Silkin.)
§ LORD MANCROFTMy Lords, perhaps I ought to do a little more than just nod my head vertically, because I do not think that would be very kind to the noble Lord, Lord Silkin, who gave some thought yesterday to deploying his argument. I certainly will accept his proposal as to three as a compromise between our differences of yesterday. I hope that I shall not be considered ungracious if I say that Her Majesty's Government are still of the opinion that two would be quite adequate; but since the noble Lard has made the appointment of the third permissive, rather than mandatory, and therefore no harm of any sort can come through including this provision in the Bill—indeed, if he is proved right, and we are proved wrong, positive good may accrue—Her Majesty's Government are perfectly prepared to accept the proposal which the noble Lord has put forward, of three regular deputy chairmen.
§ On Question, Amendment agreed to.
§ House adjourned at two minutes past five o'clock.