HL Deb 18 December 1963 vol 254 cc367-70

9.5 p.m.

LORD CARRINGTON

My Lords, I beg to move that the House do now adjourn.

Moved, That the House do now adjourn.—(Lord Carrington.)

EARL ALEXANDER OF HILLS-BOROUGH

My Lords, on that Motion I want to raise a question. I had not observed it before, and it is partly my fault, but I see that we took the Committee stage of the Continental Shelf Bill yesterday, and it is down for Third Reading to-morrow. That really is preposterous. I do not understand how it happened, but somehow or other it escaped being brought to my notice. I am just making a protest now, and I shall have to consider between now and to-morrow what we shall do.

EARL ST. ALDWYN

My Lords, I thought, frankly, that it had been clear for some time that the Third Reading would be taken to-morrow.

SEVERAL NOBLE LORDS

No, No.

EARL ST. ALDWYN

I understood that.

EARL ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGH

I had heard nothing about it, except that I hear now that it was put on the Paper last night.

EARL ST. ALDWYN

It was put on the Paper last night—that is quite correct—but for some little time information has been available that it was going, to be taken to-morrow.

EARL ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGH

Where?

EARL ST. ALDWYN

I can show the noble Earl the papers to which I am referring, but obviously this is not for discussion on the Floor of the House. But I thought certain discussions had taken place with noble Lords opposite, and I understood that they were in fact satisfied about it.

EARL ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGH

My advice is that they had heard nothing about it until it was seen on the Paper this morning.

LORD CARRINGTON

My Lords, I think that perhaps the best thing to do is this. There appears to have been a slip-up in the usual channels. Perhaps the noble Earl the Leader of the Opposition would let me look into it, and if there is anything I can do, either to put it right or to make it more convenient to noble Lords opposite, of course I most certainly will do it. Perhaps he will allow me to look into this between now and tomorrow.

LORD SHACKLETON

My Lords, may I just ask the noble Lord to bear in mind that the noble Lord, Lord Derwent, who has been very forthcoming, not in making concessions on Amendments but in being willing to consider points, several times yesterday invited those noble Lords who were debating to come forward with suggestions. I do not know how it could be expected that we could come forward with suggestions between nine o'clock last night and tomorrow, when we thought that the Third Reading was going to be taken after the Recess.

LORD CARRINGTON

I hope that the noble Lord, Lord Shackleton, will think that I have been fairly forthcoming. I have not had a chance to look at this, but I most certainly will do so. My noble friend was probably thinking that there would be an opportunity of amending the Bill in another place. But perhaps I might have a talk with him and the noble Earl, the Leader of the Opposition, and we will see what we can do.

On Question, Motion agreed to.

House adjourned at eight minutes past nine o'clock.