§ 3.37 p.m.
§ THE LORD CHANCELLOR (LORD HAILSHAM OF SAINT MARYLEBONE)My Lords, I beg to move that the Order of Re-commitment be discharged. I understand that no Amendments have been set down to this Bill and that no noble Lord has indicated a wish to move a manuscript Amendment or to speak in Committee. Therefore, unless any noble Lord objects, I beg to move. Perhaps I ought to remind the House that this is a consolidation Bill and seeks to give effect to the recommendations of the Law Commission in their Report laid before Parliament last December. The Joint Committee have looked at this Bill and I understand that I should draw attention to one slightly unusual point to which they drew the attention of the House but recommended that the House should accept it. This is in Clause 21 whereby the draftsman has applied two new definitions—financial provisions orders and property adjustment orders—to two different sets of orders which may be made under the provisions of the Bill. To quote the Joint Select Committee, this is simply a drafting point designed to make the Bill more perspicuous and in the opinion of the Committee it achieves that result. I therefore beg to move, pursuant to Standing Order No. 45(2), that the Order of Re-commitment be discharged.
§ Moved, That the Order of Re-commitment be discharged.—(The Lord Chancellor.)
§ On Question, Motion agreed to.