§ 2.59 p.m.
The Lord Privy Seal (Viscount Cranborne)My Lords, I beg to move the Motion standing in my name on the Order Paper. In doing so, perhaps your Lordships will allow me to indulge in what I think will be something of a pre-emptive strike. For a reason that may not be altogether immediately apparent to your Lordships, I feel that it may be possible that some of my noble friends may be moved to oppose the Motion.
I wonder whether I could venture to suggest to your Lordships that wrangles surrounding the Motion have become a not altogether welcome feature of our debates over the past few months. Although I have the very greatest respect for a number of my noble friends who take a different view from me, I should like to point out that the matter has been discussed recently in the Procedure Committee, and that in my view—I hope not erroneously—your Lordships have expressed a pretty clear consensus on the matter.
If any of my noble friends still feel that the Motion should be disputed, I hope that they will have the confidence of their convictions and take the matter to its logical conclusion and test the view of the House.
Moved, That Standing Order 44 (No two stages of a Bill to be taken on one day) be dispensed with to enable the Consolidated Fund (No. 2) Bill to be taken through its remaining stages on Tuesday, 19th March.— (Viscount Cranborne.)
On Question, Motion agreed to.