§ 3 p.m.
§ Lord StrathclydeMy Lords, at a convenient moment after 3.30 p.m., my noble friend Lady Cumberlege will, with the leave of the House, repeat in the form of a Statement an answer to a Private Notice Question in another place on health services in London.
With the leave of the House, I should like to say a word about the two debates standing in the names of the noble Viscount, Lord Tenby, and the noble Lord, Lord Palmer. Speeches in the first debate should be limited to a maximum of seven minutes and those in the second to a maximum of six minutes. If any noble Lord were to speak at greater length, he would be doing so at the expense of subsequent speakers in that debate. It may also be for the convenience of the House if I remind noble Lords that when the clocks indicate six minutes, that means that six minutes have already elapsed and the seventh minute has in fact begun.
§ Lord Allen of AbbeydaleMy Lords, as regards the Statement, I understood that the Procedure Committee decided some time ago that on the days when there are two short debates and a Statement had to be made it would be made between the two debates. Is that practice now being discontinued?
§ Lord StrathclydeMy Lords, where possible, it is the practice to continue to accommodate Statements between two debates when we have two short debates on a Wednesday. However, the decision was taken after considerable consideration and discussion with the usual channels. It was decided that it would be for the convenience of the House to have this debate earlier on in the afternoon rather than later.