§ THE MINISTER OF STATE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SECURITY (LORD ABERDARE)My Lords, I do not know whether I am out of order in intervening at this moment, but I hope that your Lordships will grant me your indulgence, in view of the time factor involved, if I draw to your attention the fact that at three o'clock this afternoon the sirens designed to give warning of floods on the River Thames are to be tested. If these prove to be intolerably interruptive of your Lordships' deliberations, I suggest that we shall simply have to remain quiet for the two minutes involved while the sirens sound. There will be three 30-second blasts interrupted by intervals of 15 seconds which, if my arithmetic is right, means that the warning will last for two minutes in total. I hope your Lordships will agree that if they are very loud we should remain silent for the two minutes.
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, I am sure that the House will agree that this was a right occasion for the noble Lord. Lord Aberdare, to bend the Rules of the House—though I am not certain that he was in fact out of order. I would agree with the noble Lord in his suggestion, though it may be that we shall be able to continue during the sirens. If I am speaking, I may be able to get my voice over to your Lordships, but if the noble Baroness, Lady Tweedsmuir of Belhelvie, is unable to do so then I agree that we might accept the noble Lord's suggestion.