Former MP for Southampton, Itchen
Like the hon. Member for Barry (Sir R. Gower), I am a strong supporter of the lay magistrate system. I declare an interest, in that my wife is a magistrate. I should be reluctant to place extra duties upon magistrates which might bring them into political or other controversy. I do not know what the normal procedure is throughout the country when a policeman applies to a magistrate for a...
If that is so, is not amendment (i), tabled by the hon. Member for Stockport, North (Mr. Bennett), meaningless, because it requires magistrates to make a subjective judgment, balancing the evidence and the public interest? Surely the police will quickly discover which magistrates will come down on one side rather than on the other and go to some magistrates and not others?
Or re-selection.
Is it in a nuclear-free zone?
Clause 8 says: Her Majesty may by Order in Council direct that any of the provisions of this Act and regulations under it shall extend to certain other groups. To which of those groups—the Isle of Man, the Channel Islands, any colony, and so on—does the Minister propose to extend the regulations? In particular, has he any proposals to extend the provisions of the Act as it will become and...
On a point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker. There are so many sub-committees going on around the Chamber, and so many people talking, that it is impossible to hear even an hon. Member who is standing just behind me.
Is the Minister aware that there has been a great deal of dissatisfaction with the section of the Bill dealing with building regulations and that many hon. Members have had large amounts of correspondence on this from professional organisations and NALGO, which argue that the Bill will weaken the whole system of building control? What are the Minister's comments on that?
Although one welcomes the proposals, will the Secretary of State explain why they were not introduced at least two years ago? How do the proposals compare with the equivalent incentives provided in the Republic?
