HL Deb 20 January 1988 vol 492 c209

2.55 p.m.

Lord Denham

My 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 Bonham-Carter, and the noble Lord, Lord Dean of Beswick. 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 Bonham-Carter, this means that all other speeches should be limited to a maximum of seven minutes and in that of the noble Lord, Lord Dean of Beswick, to six minutes. If any noble Lord should speak at greater length, it would be at the expense of subsequent speakers in the debate.