§ EARL ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGHMy Lords, on Business, not for this term but for next term, I want to raise a point with the Government. It is proposed to take the Committee stage of the Hire-Purchase Bill, which is an exceedingly important Bill, on the first day of the reassembly. The vacation itself is shorter than usual; and, in any case, there will be considerable difficulty in having, during the vacation, a consideration by the Parties concerned in the House of the many matters which are likely to arise, not from the ordinary Party opposition point of view but from the point of view of other interests in the Bill. It is not possible for us to arrange meetings of the Party during the vacation in order to consider Amendments of that kind put down by other people for this Committee stage, and I must request that the Committee stage of the Bill should be postponed for some days into the new term so that we may have a proper opportunity here, on the spot, to consider the other Amendments that are put down, apart from the ordinary Party opposition Amendments.
§ THE MINISTER WITHOUT PORTFOLIO (LORD CARRINGTON)My Lords, of course I am always only too anxious to try to help the noble Earl if there is a difficulty, and I think there is a difficulty here. I see the point of what he is saying to me. But, my Lords, there is also a difficulty on the Question of getting this Business through in time. As the noble Earl knows, the Bill started in this House, and we want to get it to another place as soon as is convenient. It is a fairly tight timetable for this Bill, but perhaps the best thing to do—though I cannot commit myself—is to discuss this matter through the usual channels.
§ EARL ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGHMy Lords, I am Quite prepared to do that. I am rather intrigued to know that the timetable set by the Government is of such urgency in the first part of a new Session. I do not know what else they have in their minds politically.
§ LORD CARRINGTONMy Lords, all the Bills which the Government are bringing forward are of great importance and should get on to the Statute Book as soon as possible.