HL Deb 20 July 1999 vol 604 cc812-3

3.17 p.m.

Lord Carter

My Lords, on behalf of my noble friend the Leader of House, I beg to move the Motion standing in her name on the Order Paper.

Moved, That Standing Order 44 (No two stages of a Bill to be taken on one day) be dispensed with on Friday next to allow the Finance Bill to be taken through its remaining stages that day.—(Baroness Jay of Paddington.)

Lord Shore of Stepney

My Lords, unusually, I wish to raise an objection to the Motion. The Finance Bill which will shortly come before this House contains a measure for tax allowances of 100 per cent in favour of small and medium business for firms in Northern Ireland. For the first time in the history of this country, the measure has been struck down by Brussels on the grounds that it infringes the tax harmonisation or fair taxation rules upon which it is insisting.

That raises issues of fundamental importance, particularly in view of the guarantees that we have been given that taxation remains the preserve of national legislation and is not a matter that we would under any circumstances cede to Brussels. I ask the Government to take full account of that and to make time available so that we can thoroughly discuss this fundamental issue.

Lord Carter

My Lords, I am sure the House has taken careful note of what my noble friend said. He may not be aware that it is a long-standing convention of the House that the Finance Bill is always taken through all its stages on the day of Second Reading. That is usually, but not always, a Friday. The House never goes into Committee on money Bills so we will not be able to deal with it in the way the noble Lord suggests. This House has no effective power on money Bills. It has long been thought that the most convenient way for the House to deal with Finance Bills is in the way I described.

On Question, Motion agreed to.