§ 3.10 p.m.
§ Lord DenhamMy Lords, with the leave of the House, I should like to say a word about the two short debates standing in the names of the noble Lord, Lord Rhodes, and the noble Viscount, Lord Hanworth. It is customary in short debates that the mover is allowed approximately 15 minutes and that the Minister should rise to reply not less than 20 minutes before the scheduled end of the debates. In the case of the short debate in the name of the noble Lord, Lord Rhodes, this means that all other speeches should be limited to a maximum of nine minutes. If any noble Lord should speak at greater length, that would be to the disadvantage of subsequent speakers in the debate. In the case of the short debate in the name of the noble Viscount, Lord Hanworth, even though the number of speakers is such that it is not necessary to propose any formal time limit, noble Lords may feel that if they were to keep within much the same time limits that would be in accordance with the spirit of the short debates.