§ 3.10 p.m.
§ Lord DenhamMy Lords, with the leave of the House, I should like to say a word about the two short debates standing in the names of the noble Lord, Lord Tordoff, and the noble Lord, Lord Bonham-Carter. It is customary in short debates that 1063 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 Tordoff, this means that all other speeches should be limited to a maximum of five minutes and in that of the noble Lord, Lord Bonham-Carter, to eight minutes. If any noble Lord should speak at greater length, it would be at the expense of subsequent speakers in the debate.