§ 2.57 p.m.
§ Lord DenhamMy Lords, with the leave of the House, I should like, as usual, to say a word about the two Short Debates standing in the names of the noble Lord, Lord Hunter of Newington, and the noble Lord, Lord Chalfont. 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 Hunter of Newington, this means that all other speeches should be limited to a maximum of 14 minutes and in that of the noble Lord, Lord Chalfont, to 7 minutes. By the time that the figures 14 and 7 respectively appear on the clock, the time is already up. If any noble Lord were to continue speaking, he would do so at the even greater expense of subsequent speakers in the debate.