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Home Affairs

The Leader of the House is not to blame for the past history of this matter, and I am conscious that she is in difficulty. Will she seriously reflect on the idea proposed by the hon. Member for Worthing, West (Peter Bottomley), which is, I think, widely shared? It is necessary to have an extra member now so that the Committee can do its work, and we understand the problem, but to have an unprecedented change in the Standing Orders, in controversial circumstances, which looks like an attempt to bounce the House into a decision, is not a helpful start for the right hon. and learned Lady or for the House. It would be much wiser just to say, ““Okay, we understand,”” and come back to the matter in October.