§ [References are to Bill 71 as first printed for the Commons]
§
[No. 1.]
Clause 2, page 2, line 35, after "sum" insert "or sums".
§ THE LORD CHANCELLORMy Lords, I beg to move that this House doth agree with the Commons in their Amendment No. 1. As your Lordships know, when the imminence of Dissolution was announced there were a number of Bills in different stages of completion. Some of them it was impossible to complete—for instance, the Animals Bill, which some of your Lordships will remember: it was allotted to a Committee in the other place in January but never in fact started in Committee. Some, like the Administration of Justice Bill were very near completion. Then there were other cases in which all parties had to consider what was the best course to take. The Matrimonial Proceedings and Property Bill had received a cordial welcome on Second Reading. It had had three days in Committee; it was anticipated that it would be another day, or possibly two days, in Committee. The choice, therefore, was between either dropping the Bill altogether and all Parties agreeing that the Bill should go through in substance as it then was but with certain agreed Amendments, and that anything in substance contentious should be dropped. All Parties agreed to that. So the Bill now comes to your Lordships, after such Amendments as were 1181 made in Committee, and with a number of further Amendments which have been agreed and nearly all of which are primarily of a drafting character.
Amendment No. 1 was an Opposition Amendment carried in Committee. The clause as originally drafted provided for a judge being able to order one spouse to pay a lump sum to another spouse. The Amendment added the words "or sums". This proposal was resisted by the Government, but was carried, and as it has been agreed that that which is contentious shall be dropped the Government have accepted the position and are not seeking to restore it. In those circumstances, I do not think I need go into the detail of the arguments on one side or the other. I doubt whether the Amendment will have very much effect, but I do not think it will do any harm. I beg to move.
§ Moved, That the House doth agree with the Commons in the said Amendment.—(The Lord Chancellor.)
§ On Question, Motion agreed to.