Clause 7 - Encouraging Voting
Regional Assemblies (Preparations) Bill
11:45 am
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede and Weybridge, Conservative)
Although I have an elastic credulity, it, and that of my hon. Friends, is being stretched to the limit by the Under-Secretary. It would have been much better if he had stood up and said, ''We think it is okay but we are open-minded people who are prepared to look again. We will read the report of the Committee's proceedings to see what has been said and have a think about whether we can tighten up the language.''
No one is asking the Under-Secretary to change what he intends clause 7 to do. All we are asking him to do is to make his intention absolutely clear in order to avoid any misunderstanding. Other hon. Members may want briefly to contribute to the debate, and I shall listen to what they say before I ask my hon. Friends whether we should seek to divide the Committee.