HL Deb 14 February 1985 vol 460 cc311-2

3.25 p.m.

The Lord Chancellor (Lord Hailsham of Saint Marylebone)

My Lords, I rise to move that this Bill be now read a third time.

It would be wrong for me to do so without first paying a tribute to the work of the noble Lords who sat on the Joint Committee in this case—and in particular to the chairman of the Joint Committee, my noble and learned friend Lord Brightman.

It has been a mammoth task and the fact that the committee dealt with a consolidation of this size and complexity in three sittings is praiseworthy enough in itself, but it could only have been done so because individual members—and especially the chairman—put in many hours of detailed and painstaking preparatory work. The House is grateful to those noble Lords for the diligence and efficiency which they have exercised on behalf of the House. I beg to move that this Bill be now read a third time.

Moved, That the Bill be now read a third time.—(The Lord Chancellor.)

On Question, Bill read a third time.

The Lord Chancellor

My Lords, it has been suggested to me in regard to the Companies Bill and the other Consolidation Bills named on the Order Paper that the amendments should be taken together. In that respect, I am of course entirely in the hands of the House. I will move them separately if need be, if any Member of the House desires.

I think that I can say conscientiously that they are all either technical or drafting amendments, and I can say with certainty that they were all approved by the Chairman of the Joint Committee. If it is the will of the House, I beg to move Amendments Nos. 1 to 9 en bloc.

Clause 109, page 73, line 43, after ("apply") insert ("also").

Clause 129, page 87, line 17, after ("officer") insert ("of it").

Clause 132, page 90, line 12 at end insert ("(which were made on 21st December 1984)").

Clause 190, page 129, line 7, after ("register") insert ("or duplicate").

Clause 254, page 178, leave out line 40 and insert ("(which may be modified accounts, but only if the individual accounts are modified)").

Clause 600, page 379, leave out line 28 and insert ("form prescribed by statutory instrument made by the Secretary of State.").

Clause 681, page 416, line 44, after ("England") insert ("and Wales").

Clause 746, page 454, line 18, leave out ("April") and insert ("July").

Schedule 9, page 544, line 44, after ("company") insert ("(if not subject to the Banking Companies (Accounts) Regulations 1970)").

On Question, amendments agreed to.

Bill passed, and sent to the Commons.