§ 11.33 a.m.
§ Viscount DavidsonMy Lords, with the leave of the House, I should like to say a brief word about the length of speeches in today's debate standing in the name of my noble friend Lord Skelmersdale, to which your Lordships have agreed to apply a five-hour time limit. On the principle that the Minister is allowed approximately 20 minutes to open and that he should rise to reply not less than 25 minutes before the scheduled end of the debate, all other speeches should be limited to a strict upper limit of 12 minutes. If any noble Lord should speak at greater length he would be doing so at the expense of other speakers in the debate.
§ Lord Ponsonby of ShulbredeMy Lords, I thank the noble Viscount for that statement and I hope that before we have proceeded very far with the debate, the noble Viscount will have arranged for the clocks to be restarted.
§ Viscount DavidsonMy Lords, I can inform the House that the digital clocks are still working and that they will recall the length of each speech as usual, which I think is probably more important than the main clock. On the subject of the main clock, I should say that there is a chronometer on the Hansard reporters' desk and that the Clerks at the Table are all wearing wristwatches.