§ 2.50 p.m.
§ Order of the Day for the Third Reading read.
§ THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (THE EARL OF DUNDEE)My Lords, I have it in command from Her Majesty the Queen to signify to the House that Her Majesty, having been informed of the purport of the British Museum Bill, has consented to place Her Majesty's interest, so far as it is concerned on behalf of the Crown, at the disposal of Parliament for the purpose of the Bill. I beg to move that the Bill be now read a third time.
§ Moved, That the Bill be now read 3a.—(The Earl of Dundee.)
§ LORD SHACKLETONMy Lords, before we leave the Bill, is the noble Earl in a position to answer the question that was raised during the Report stage on an Amendment by the noble Lords, Lord Denning and Lord Silkin, to enable two pieces of paper to be temporarily joined together for research purposes?
§ THE EARL OF DUNDEEMy Lords, my recollection is that the Amendment was defeated by your Lordships on a Division.
§ LORD SHACKLETONIt certainly was defeated, but the noble Earl gave it as his opinion that it would be possible for it to be done under Clause 4. I thought he gave an undertaking to look into this matter.
§ THE EARL OF DUNDEENo, my Lords; that was a matter raised by the noble Lord, Lord Hurcomb, with which I agreed. I thought that it would be possible to lend it under the clause to which the noble Lord has referred.
§ On Question, Bill read 3a, with the Amendments, and passed, and returned to the Commons.