§ Brought from the Commons; read 1a.
§ Then, Standing Order No. 41 having been dispensed with (pursuant to Resolution):
§ THE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (LORD MANCROFT)My Lords, the purpose of this Bill is to validate the election to another place of Mr. Charles Alfred Howell, notwithstanding his holding the office or place of member of certain panels constituted in pursuance of the National Insurance (Industrial Injuries) Act, 1946, and the National Insurance Act, 1946, and to indemnify him from any 680 penal consequences which he may have incurred by sitting and voting as a Member of another place. This is the third, and we hope the last, measure of this kind to be put before your Lordships. I assume that your Lordships would wish to deal with it in the same way as you have dealt with the preceding two, and to pass it through all its stages immediately. I therefore beg to move that the Bill be now read a second time.
§ Moved, That the Bill be now read 2a.—(Lord Mancroft.)
§ EARL JOWITTMy Lords, the noble Lord is quite right in assuming that we wish to deal with this Bill in the same way that we dealt with the other two. We have agreed that it shall pass through all its stages to-day, and the noble Marquess the Leader of the House has moved the appropriate Motion to enable that to be done. Whether the hope of the noble Lord, Lord Mancroft, that this will be the last of these Bills with which we shall have to deal, will be fulfilled I cannot say. My hope is that this Bill will be the end of this matter. But unless and until we get the law on this matter clearer and in a more intelligible form we shall risk having to do this sort of thing, which is very undesirable. We certainly should get the law put right and not have to risk this undesirable procedure. On behalf of noble Lords on these Benches, I have to say that we agree to allow this Bill to pass through all its stages to-day.
§ On Question, Bill read 2a: Committee to negatived.
§ Bill read 3a, and passed.