Clause 39 - Short title
Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Bill [Lords]
10:15 am
Mr Paul Goggins (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Home Office; Wythenshawe and Sale East, Labour)
I beg to move amendment No. 60, in clause 39, page 20, line 38, leave out subsection (2).
This is a technical amendment to remove the Lords privilege amendment to clause 39 that was inserted when the Bill moved from the Lords to the Commons. Committee members are aware that the House of Lords cannot consider matters of money and charges on the public funds. Therefore, this amendment was inserted. Following Second Reading, this House passed a money resolution for the Bill.
Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Shadow Minister, Home, Constitutional & Legal Affairs; Chesham and Amersham, Conservative)
In another place on 4 March, my noble Friend Baroness Anelay of St. Johns complained that amendments had been tabled at the last minute and that the other place did not have enough time to consider them properly. Likewise, on 1 July, I raised a point of order that was ruled on by the Chair.
I want to use this Government amendment to ask the Minister whether he has had a chance to consider the major amendments that have been added to the Bill, and whether he will accept a recommittal in the other place to allow the Lords to consider the new amendments properly.
Mr Paul Goggins (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Home Office; Wythenshawe and Sale East, Labour)
I am pleased to respond. The question of recommittal is not for me; as the hon. Lady is aware, these issues are discussed in the usual channels.
We are content that, although some of the amendments came a little late in the day, the reasons why are clear. There has been straightforward agreement about the principle, and we have already tried this morning to get to grips with some of the detail. That can continue in the period up to Report. I do not think that anybody can argue that there is insufficient opportunity to discuss the detail. The question of recommittal is a matter for others.
Amendment agreed to.
Clause 39, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.