8.47 p.m.
Mrs. Margaret Thatcher (Finchley)
I am glad to be able to start the summer session by agreeing with Niall Macdermotthe Financial Secretary. I do not expect that this agreement will last long, in view of the Budget which we shall have before us next week. I agree that this is a very modest but welcome Bill. It is so modest that many pension organisations which would normally be active in this sphere have not even heard of it. I hope that they will look at it before the Committee stage. I agree that it is also modest in its financial provisions. I note, however, that it takes about 22 pages of close printing to spend a net sum of about £60,000. I hope that that does not augur ill for the length of the Finance Bill that we shall have after the Budget.
I agree with the Financial Secretary that the Bill consists of a series of miscellaneous provisions with no connecting principle, and that its details, in each separate provision, would be far better dealt with in Committee. It is the kind of Bill which, when I was in another Department, would have been referred to as a “rag-bag” Bill, in which, apparently, instructions would have been given, “There are a lot of new changes which need to be made. Put them into a Bill, providing it does not cost very much.” [column 148]Whoever has drawn up the Bill has done his job very well.
I am sure that I carry the whole House with me when I say that further and more detailed discussion should be left to the Committee. We accord the Bill the welcome that it deserves.
Question put and agreed to.
Bill accordingly read a Second time.
Bill committed to a Standing Committee pursuant to Standing Order No. 40 (Committal of Bills).