§ Lord DenhamMy Lords, at a convenient moment after 3.30 this afternoon my noble friend Lord Skelmersdale will, with the leave of the House, repeat a Statement that is to be made in another place on the Local Government Bill.
With the leave of the House, I should like to say a word about the length of speeches in this afternoon's debate standing in the name of the noble Lord, Lord McCarthy, to which your Lordships have agreed a five-hour time limit. On the principle that the mover is allowed approximately 20 minutes and that the Minister should rise to reply not less than 25 minutes before the scheduled end of the debate, all other speeches should be limited to an upper limit of 14 minutes. If any noble Lord should speak at greater length he would be doing so at the expense of other speakers in the debate.