§ Lord DenhamMy Lords, after the first short debate on criminal legal aid and before that on pharmacy, my noble friend Lady Trumpington, with the leave of the House, will be repeating in the form of a Statement an Answer which is to be given to a Private Notice Question in another place on the resignation of the chairman of the National Health Service management board. My noble friend then, again with the leave of the House, will repeat a Statement on the report on legionnaire's disease.
I should like to say a word about the arrangements for the two short debates themselves standing in the names of the noble Lord, Lord Benson, and the noble Lord, Lord Hunter of Newington. On the principle 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 debate, in the case of the short debate in the name of the noble Lord, Lord Benson, this means that all other speeches should be limited to a maximum of nine minutes.
In the debate of the noble Lord, Lord Hunter of Newington, the number of speakers is such that it is not necessary to propose a formal time limit. But I am sure that noble Lords will agree that it would conform with the spirit of these short debates if they would keep their speeches at least within the 15 minutes which apply to the mover of the debate.