§ 2.12 p.m.
§ Order of the Day for the House to be put into Committee read.
§ Moved, That the House do now resolve itself into Committee.—(Lord Mothers.)
§ On Question, Motion agreed to.
§ House in Committee accordingly.
§ [The LORD TERRINGTON in the Chair]
§ Clause 1 [Notice of marriage intended to be celebrated or contracted in Scotland where one party has a parent residing there]:
§ LORD MATHERS moved, in subsection (1), to leave out "or she". The noble Lord said: I beg to move the Amendment standing in my name. It is a small Amendment, and is considered necessary in order to prevent misunderstandings. There are in other parts of the Bill references to "he" which also covers "she", as I understand it, not only because of the fact that the sexes are equal before the law in Scotland but because of the Interpretation Act. The Amendment is moved simply to avoid possible misunderstanding through the use in one clause of the words "or she" whereas in another part of the Bill the same intention is carried out without the presence of the words "or she". I hope that is a sufficient explanation. The matter had been pointed out to me by others. I had noticed it myself, and the noble Lord, Lord Rea, was in communication with me regarding it. Finally, it was decided, I think with Government approval, that this Amendment should be made. I beg to move.
1286
§
Amendment moved—
Page 1, line 11, leave out ("or she").(Lord Mathers.)
§ On Question, Amendment agreed to.
§ Clause 1, as amended, agreed to.
§ Remaining clauses agreed to.
§ House resumed.