Sir Rolf Williams: If they had carried on at the Bar, they would not have the benefit of a tax-free emolument on retirement.
Sir Rolf Williams: rose—
Sir Rolf Williams: I have listened with great interest to the explanation by the Minister of State of the necessity for the Order. Complaints have been made to me that it may not be possible for the shopkeepers concerned to guarantee to get rid of their stocks of these unmarked goods by the date mentioned in the Order, 31st July, 1966. Some of the goods which they will have to dispose of within this period are...
Sir Rolf Williams: I apologise for not putting my point more clearly, Mr. Deputy Speaker. I was not suggesting, when I used the word "amending", that the Order before us should be amended. I was suggesting that it be withdrawn, then amended and brought before the House in its amended form. I appreciate that we are unable to amend this Statutory Instrument so that the limiting date is not mentioned.
Sir Rolf Williams: But at the end of the period they may well have some of the goods which have left the factory marked but not in the way they will have to be marked after the end of the period. Will they be given any grace to get rid of these items?
Sir Rolf Williams: All hon. Members will be grateful to the Solicitor-General for the courteous way in which he explained what lies behind this consolidation Measure. I do not go all the way with my hon. Friend the Member for Crosby (Mr. Graham Page) when he said that he would like to see Clause 116 removed from the Bill. It is important, as the Solicitor-General pointed out, that the Clause should remain so...
Sir Rolf Williams: Will the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind that during the life of the present Government there has been a Budget every 95 days? In view of that, and as the next is due on 30th October, will he ensure that the House meets before then?
Sir Rolf Williams: In reply to my right hon. Friend the Member for Streatham (Mr. Sandys) the right hon. Lady said that expenditure this year would be higher than last year. Has this extraordinary state of affairs been agreed by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in view of the difficult balance of payments position?
Sir Rolf Williams: It is always stimulating to listen to the hon. Member for West Ham, North (Mr. Arthur Lewis). He did not answer the point made by my hon. Friend the Member for Runcorn (Mr. Carlisle), namely, that it was the Government who tabled the Amendments in the House of Lords and who made use of the other place to get their Bill straight. Nothing would have been easier than to have kept the Bill here...
Sir Rolf Williams: I absolutely endorse the hon. Gentleman's appeal. I fully support it.
Sir Rolf Williams: I am interested to hear that no pressure has been brought to bear on the Government. Would the right hon. Gentleman now say that the Parliamentary Labour Party is wholeheartedly behind the Government's defence policy and has not asked and is not asking for any reduction in defence expenditure?
Sir Rolf Williams: To come back on 21st August.
Sir Rolf Williams: To build a bypass without a motorway does not always work. No doubt the hon. Gentleman has heard of the Exeter bypass.
Sir Rolf Williams: The cause of the friction between France and the rest of Europe is that France wants everything her own way.
Sir Rolf Williams: Will the Minister look into this matter? For instance, will he look into the fact that two aeroplanes were flying over Westminster this morning at considerably less than 2,000 ft.? I think that this is becoming quite intolerable.
Sir Rolf Williams: Will the Bill to be introduced on Monday be subject to the Expiring Laws (Continuance) Bill?
Sir Rolf Williams: Does not the right hon. Gentleman believe that it would be much better to allow these teacher training colleges to go on and to encourage them than for the Minister of Health to waste public money by abolishing prescription charges?
Sir Rolf Williams: Will not the hon. Gentleman give an undertaking at least that the petrol tax will not be increased in the Budget?
Sir Rolf Williams: On a point of order.
Sir Rolf Williams: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I must apologise to you for drawing attention to a point of order while you were standing. May I draw your attention to what I suggest, subject to your views, Mr. Speaker, is an abuse or breach of privilege? The hon. Member for Derbyshire, North-East (Mr. Swain)——