Control of Office and Industrial Development Bill

Part of Ballot for Notices of Motions – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 14 April 1965.

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Photo of Sir John Hall Sir John Hall , Wycombe 12:00, 14 April 1965

I shall be out of order if I pursue that, even though it is an interesting point.

I am sorry that the right hon. Gentleman has not seen fit to accept the Amendment. I am sorry that the consideration which he has given to the matter since the Committee stage has not led him to the view that some expansion of the existing wording would be valuable. I still think it essential that the Clause should be clear beyond peradventure. It should be clear what the Bill sets out to do, and it should be made clear in the Clause. Nevertheless, in view of the fact that we are not likely to get much further with the Amendment, and it is not one which we should necessarily press to a Division. I would not suggest that my hon. Friends should pursue it very much further.

We are not getting very far. We have not had a great deal of co-operation from the Government. We have had a lot of sympathetic words, as, indeed, we did throughout the Committee stage. Ministers were very friendly, and most helpful with regard to the expression of intent, but we did not get very much action. That is happening again this evening. Although we may be disposed to meet the Government as far as we can, and not press these Amendments too far, there may come a stage later on when we shall feel compelled to test the feeling of the House. I do not think that we can go on having one Amendment after another shot down in flames, without making some protest. However, I will leave the matter as it is, and leave it to my hon. Friend to take such action as he thinks fit.