§ 3.9 p.m.
§ Order of the Day for the consideration of Commons Amendments read.
§ THE LORD CHANCELLOR (VISCOUNT KILMUIR)My Lords, I rise to move that the Commons Amendments to this Bill be now considered. I am anxious to meet the convenience of the House, and not unnecessarily to impinge upon the time for the Motion set down by the noble Viscount, Lord Hall. It might be convenient, therefore, if I inform your Lordships now that these Amendments are all drafting or consequential Amendments, with the exception of three minor points. Amendments Nos. 1, 2 and 3 extend the time for applying for leave to appeal from seven to fourteen days, and thus meet a point raised by the Law Society. Amendments Nos. 6, 9 and 10 make provision to close a gap by providing for an appeal to the Divisional Court against certain Orders made by magistrates, and the substitution of the words "High Court" for "Queen's Bench Division" is to enable the Rules of the Court to decide to which Division of the High Court the appeal is to go. Apart from these relatively minor points, all the other Amendments are, as I say, drafting or consequential, and unless your Lordships express any view to the contrary, or wish to raise any point on any particular Amendment, which your Lordships can do on the next Question, I shall take them en bloc. In the meantime, I beg to move that the Commons Amendments be now considered.
§ Moved, That the Commons Amendments he now considered.—(The Lord Chancellor.)
§ On Question, Motion agreed to.