It is called proper scrutiny.

It is called proper scrutiny.

I beg to move, That the clause be read a Second time.

I beg to move, That the clause be read a Second time.

Does the hon. Gentleman imagine that the Government would be on such strong ground in trying to railroad things through without the support of both Houses if they had reformed the upper House before starting to tinker with this place?

Does the hon. Gentleman imagine that the Government would be on such strong ground in trying to railroad things through without the support of both Houses if they had reformed the upper House before starting to tinker with this place?

Did the hon. Gentleman hear the severe criticism expressed by the Deputy Prime Minister at Deputy Prime Minister's questions concerning the activities of the other House last night?

Did the hon. Gentleman hear the severe criticism expressed by the Deputy Prime Minister at Deputy Prime Minister's questions concerning the activities of the other House last night?

The hon. Gentleman is right to raise that issue. I did hear what the Deputy Prime Minister said about the upper House. Most unusually—because in the spirit of coalition I usually find that I hang on every word of the Deputy Prime Minister in almost entire agreement with it—I had...

The hon. Gentleman is right to raise that issue. I did hear what the Deputy Prime Minister said about the upper House. Most unusually—because in the spirit of coalition I usually find that I hang on every word of the Deputy Prime Minister in almost entire agreement with it—I had...

I have listened quite attentively to the hon. Gentleman's quite interesting opening remarks. Will he clarify something for me? If a party's manifesto—I appreciate that this is a bizarre concept for Liberal Democrats—contained a plan to reduce the length of a Parliament, should the House of Lords have the opportunity...

I have listened quite attentively to the hon. Gentleman's quite interesting opening remarks. Will he clarify something for me? If a party's manifesto—I appreciate that this is a bizarre concept for Liberal Democrats—contained a plan to reduce the length of a Parliament, should the House of Lords have the opportunity...

That is a very helpful intervention, and I thank the hon. Gentleman for it. I think the House of Lords would almost certainly follow the Salisbury convention in that respect, and it would be wrong of it to go against the clearly expressed will, in a manifesto, of the lower...

That is a very helpful intervention, and I thank the hon. Gentleman for it. I think the House of Lords would almost certainly follow the Salisbury convention in that respect, and it would be wrong of it to go against the clearly expressed will, in a manifesto, of the lower...

May I begin by thanking the Minister for the enormous courtesy, good manners and good temper with which he has responded to the many criticisms of the Bill? I, among others, do not think it the best Bill ever to have come before Parliament, but he has invariably answered questions...

May I begin by thanking the Minister for the enormous courtesy, good manners and good temper with which he has responded to the many criticisms of the Bill? I, among others, do not think it the best Bill ever to have come before Parliament, but he has invariably answered questions...

It is a great delight to see the hon. Member for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire (Simon Hart). It is always odd when constituencies contain bits of the west and bits of the south and bits of the north, all aligned with each other. May I just notify the hon....

It is a great delight to see the hon. Member for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire (Simon Hart). It is always odd when constituencies contain bits of the west and bits of the south and bits of the north, all aligned with each other. May I just notify the hon....

Amendment 1 was tabled by the hon. Member for Nottingham North (Mr Allen), the Chairman of the Political and Constitutional Reform Committee, who apologises for not being here in person. I hope not to detain the House for too long. Amendment 1 is a probing amendment, which the Political and...

Amendment 1 was tabled by the hon. Member for Nottingham North (Mr Allen), the Chairman of the Political and Constitutional Reform Committee, who apologises for not being here in person. I hope not to detain the House for too long. Amendment 1 is a probing amendment, which the Political and...

Is there not a danger that at times we in this place give the impression of having the clear thinking of the totally uninformed?

Is there not a danger that at times we in this place give the impression of having the clear thinking of the totally uninformed?

I am extremely grateful to my hon. Friend for his intervention. Again he demonstrates why it is so important to maintain a thorough understanding of history if we are to understand exactly what our position in this place is in the context—

I am extremely grateful to my hon. Friend for his intervention. Again he demonstrates why it is so important to maintain a thorough understanding of history if we are to understand exactly what our position in this place is in the context—

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his intervention.

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his intervention.

It may interest the House to know that in the 1830s King William IV was going to come in person to prorogue Parliament, because that would bring all business to a stop and the Government did not like the business that was going on. I believe that, in the end,...

It may interest the House to know that in the 1830s King William IV was going to come in person to prorogue Parliament, because that would bring all business to a stop and the Government did not like the business that was going on. I believe that, in the end,...

I am grateful to you, Mr Deputy Speaker, and I apologise. [Interruption.]

I am grateful to you, Mr Deputy Speaker, and I apologise. [Interruption.]

Thank you very much, Mr Deputy Speaker. I shall move on to new clause 4, which sets out new rules for the prorogation—I have as much trouble as the hon. Member for Rhondda (Chris Bryant) with that word—of Parliament and would repeal the Prorogation Act 1867, which provides the power...

Thank you very much, Mr Deputy Speaker. I shall move on to new clause 4, which sets out new rules for the prorogation—I have as much trouble as the hon. Member for Rhondda (Chris Bryant) with that word—of Parliament and would repeal the Prorogation Act 1867, which provides the power...

The hon. Gentleman makes a perfectly sensible point, although I always caution hon. Members not to equate local elections in England to elections to the devolved Administrations. There is a substantive difference in the amount of spend that is allowed, and the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland devolved elections use...

The hon. Gentleman makes a perfectly sensible point, although I always caution hon. Members not to equate local elections in England to elections to the devolved Administrations. There is a substantive difference in the amount of spend that is allowed, and the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland devolved elections use...

The Minister is a thoroughly reasonable individual and I am sure he will not hold that statement against the rest of Her Majesty's loyal Opposition when he considers accepting our amendments. As has been outlined previously—it would be inappropriate for me to go into great detail—we do not support the...

The Minister is a thoroughly reasonable individual and I am sure he will not hold that statement against the rest of Her Majesty's loyal Opposition when he considers accepting our amendments. As has been outlined previously—it would be inappropriate for me to go into great detail—we do not support the...

Does the hon. Gentleman accept that such anomalies already exist and have existed for a long time? In England it is common for local government elections to be held on the same day as a parliamentary election. In Bristol those local government elections follow an entirely different timetable from the...

Does the hon. Gentleman accept that such anomalies already exist and have existed for a long time? In England it is common for local government elections to be held on the same day as a parliamentary election. In Bristol those local government elections follow an entirely different timetable from the...

I do not like to leave the House in suspense, but on this one occasion hon. Members will have to wait and see how many of our amendments the Government are prepared to accept. Clearly, if the Minister accepts all the considered amendments that we have offered, we would be...

I do not like to leave the House in suspense, but on this one occasion hon. Members will have to wait and see how many of our amendments the Government are prepared to accept. Clearly, if the Minister accepts all the considered amendments that we have offered, we would be...