HL Deb 20 May 1985 vol 464 cc83-4

[Printed above.]

I spoke to this amendment with Amendment No. 29. I beg to move.

Moved, That this House do agree with the Commons in the said amendment.—(Lord Glenarthur.)

Lord Wigoder

My Lords, I do not want vigorously to oppose this drafting amendment. It is the last opportunity that I think I shall have of saying farewell to the Bill. I wish to make only one observation.

It was a highly controversial Bill when it first came to your Lordships' House and a number of substantial alterations were made to it in your Lordships' House. It then went to the other place. The other place carried out what many of us may think it is best at carrying out—and that is its role as a revising Chamber. It went through the Bill with considerable care and has made only one or two very small, minor amendments. The fact that the Bill, altered so substantially in your Lordships' House, was then altered so little in another place is a very great tribute to the work that was done on the Bill in your Lordships' House.

Lord Elwyn-Jones

My Lords, I join in this self-praise which is being inflicted on the House and which is entirely justified. It is very pleasurable that one particular heresy that was attempted, if I dare make mention of the word "heresy"—namely, giving the Attorney-General power to reopen too lenient sentences—is as dead as the dodo, thank goodness.

Lord Glenarthur

My Lords, I am grateful to the noble and learned Lord, Lord Elwyn-Jones, and to the noble Lord, Lord Wigoder, for their comments. I was not of course privy to the intricacies of the Bill at that particular stage. I do not think that I should be drawn on the comments that they make about certain parts of the Bill. Nevertheless, I am grateful for their kind remarks and the fact that the Bill is now safely and well on its way.

On Question, Motion agreed to.

Baroness Cox

My Lords, I beg to move that the House do now adjourn during pleasure until 7.50 p.m.

Moved accordingly, and, on Question, Motion agreed to.

[The Sitting was suspended from 7.36 until 7.50 p.m.]