HL Deb 28 July 1981 vol 423 cc658-9

2 Clause 20, page 15, line 32, at end insert "(including any sum allotted out of wages or adjudged by a superintendent to be due by way of wages);".

3.5 p.m.

The Lord Chancellor

My Lords, I beg to move that this House doth agree with the Commons in their Amendment No. 2, and I propose to speak at the same time to a large group of amendments as follows: Nos. 2, 5A, 7, 13, 17 to 19 inclusive, 23 to 27, 33A, 36, 39, 40, 43, 45 to 51 inclusive, 55 to 57 inclusive, 60, 63 to 70 inclusive, 73 to 77 inclusive and 79. These amendments are not all actually linked together but they are all minor or drafting amendments relating to county courts, many of which are made with a view to facilitating the forthcoming consolidation of the County Courts Act. The group also contains other amendments of a purely drafting character and since I doubt whether the House will wish to take up much time discussing any of them, I do not propose to speak again to any of them; but if any noble Lord would like a more detailed explanation of any of them, either in the time of the House or privately, I shall be happy, so far as I can, to provide it.

Moved, That this House doth agree with the Commons in the said amendment.—(The Lord Chancellor.)

Lord Elwyn-Jones

My Lords, I respectfully agree with the course which the noble and learned Lord has proposed. I apprehend that this is a day when much, perhaps not totally necessary, detail expressed over a great length of time would not be entirely welcome to the House. As the amendments are matters without controversy and are largely matters of drafting, as the noble and learned Lord said—and when he says that something is a mere matter of drafting, of course I accept that fully from him; I am sure he would alert us if any point of principle, discord or potential controversy arose—I agree to the course that has been proposed.

On Question, Motion agreed to.