SUMMER TIME ORDER 1963 (Hansard, 18 December 1962)

§ THE MARQUESS OF LOTHIAN

My Lords, the Summer Acts, 1922 and 1925, provide that Summer Time should run from the Sunday after the third Saturday in April until the Sunday after the third Saturday in October save where Easter Day falls on that Sunday in April, and in those years Summer Time starts a week earlier—or used to. In 1947 an Act was passed which provided for Summer Time to be varied in any one year by Order in Council. It is in pursuance of the provisions of Section 2 of that Act that the Draft Order now before the House has been laid. As noble Lords will recall, an inquiry conducted by the Government three years ago showed that there was substantial support in the country for a longer period of Summer Time, and they decided, after full consideration of all aspects of the matter, as an experiment to extend the period by six weeks in 1961. This arrangement proved widely popular and it was repeated this year. The Government are satisfied that the extended period commands wide support and, despite the weather we had this past season, we are optimistic enough to presume that there is going to be a summer next year. The Government therefore propose that this experiment should be continued in 1963, and Summer Time begin on March 31 and end on October 27. The draft Order which gives effect to this proposal applies only to the year 1963 and in no way prejudices the position for future years. I beg to move.