§ 3.2 p.m.
§ Lord DenhamMy Lords, at a convenient moment after 3.30 this afternoon my noble friend Lord Ferrers will, with the leave of the House, repeat a Statement that is to be made in another place on the Agriculture Council, 13th/14th December.
With the leave of the House, I should like, as usual, to say a word about the timing of this afternoon's short debates. Following the accepted principle that the mover should be entitled to approximately 15 minutes and that my noble and learned friend the Lord Chancellor should rise to reply no later than 20 minutes before the scheduled end of each debate, I would suggest that other speakers should endeavour to limit their speeches to a maximum of 10 minutes in the case of the debate in the name of my noble friend Lord Renton.
602 While there is slightly more leeway in the case of the debate of the noble and learned Lord, Lord Simon of Glaisdale, I would suggest that 15 minutes should be regarded as an absolute limit. I would also point out that if any noble Lord were to speak longer, he would, in the case of the first debate, and might in the case of the second, do so at the expense of other speakers later in the debate.
Finally, a word about future business. After discussion through the usual channels, it has been agreed that the Committee stage of the National Heritage Bill should be continued not only on Thursday of this week but also on Tuesday of next week, 21st December. The Committee stage of the Mental Health (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill, which was to have been taken next Tuesday, will instead be taken after the Christmas Recess.