HL Deb 25 March 1971 vol 316 cc992-3

3.21 p.m.

Brought from the Commons.

EARL ST. ALDWYN

My Lords, I beg to move that this Bill be read a first time.

Moved, That the Bill be now read 1a.—(Earl St. Aldwyn.)

LORD PARGITER

My Lords, while it may be unusual to object to a Bill's being read a first time, it seems to me that your Lordships' attention should be drawn to the fact that seldom has a Bill been brought before this House from another place so incomplete as this Bill. It should have been properly discussed. We are being called upon to consider a vast number of Amendments which have not been discussed at all and on which we have no guidance from the other House. We have no senior Minister concerned with the conduct of the Bill in this House to answer questions upon it, and it seems to me that our best course ought to be to send it back to the House of Commons and ask them to complete it, so that we may give careful consideration to their considered opinions on the Bill as a whole.

On Question, Bill read 1a, and to be printed.