Orders of the Day — London Local Authorities Bill [Lords]

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 8:08 pm on 25 January 1990.

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Photo of Mr Martin Redmond Mr Martin Redmond , Don Valley 8:08, 25 January 1990

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for intervening from a sedentary position.

If one examined the Bill a little more closely, one would probably find matters about which its promoters, should be informing us. During the passage of the Bill, no one seems to have been anxious to jump up to defend its merits. Only after I had asked for an explanation of some of the amendments did that happen. If the hon. Member for Derbyshire, West (Mr. McLoughlin) had been in the House earlier, he could have jumped to his feet and explained all the amendments in detail. He could have told us why the amendments were necessary and how they would affect the Bill. I do not think that there was sufficient discussion of the amendments, but they have been made, and that will have a bearing on whether the Bill receives its Third Reading. If we had had an early explanation, we might have been home tucked up in bed by now.