Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 1:34 pm on 8 April 2003.
Despite the right hon. Gentleman's reservations, does he agree with Henry Ward Beecher who, 147 years ago, noted that laws tend to gravitate downwards? He said:
"Like clocks, they must be cleansed, and wound up, and set to true time".
That is the purpose of the Bill.