I have a couple of minutes to reply on my amendment. The whole House should be indebted to the Minister for the patient way in which he sat through the whole of this afternoon and evening and responded generously to all the points that have been made. I shall first...

I have a couple of minutes to reply on my amendment. The whole House should be indebted to the Minister for the patient way in which he sat through the whole of this afternoon and evening and responded generously to all the points that have been made. I shall first...

As an amendment to the Motion that the Bill be now read a second time, at end to insert "but this House regrets the omission from Part 5 of the Bill of a statutory Appointments Commission".

As an amendment to the Motion that the Bill be now read a second time, at end to insert "but this House regrets the omission from Part 5 of the Bill of a statutory Appointments Commission".

My Lords, in order to keep my own speech within a tolerable length, I propose to talk only about Part 5 of the Bill, tempted though I am to refer to other matters. As other noble Lords have already indicated, the Government have adopted three of the four central points...

My Lords, in order to keep my own speech within a tolerable length, I propose to talk only about Part 5 of the Bill, tempted though I am to refer to other matters. As other noble Lords have already indicated, the Government have adopted three of the four central points...

I think that the noble Lord misunderstood the point I was making. The quotation he gives is quite correct, but it was at the Second Reading of the Bill. The by-elections were not there. They were not part of the undertaking. They were not part of the negotiations.

I think that the noble Lord misunderstood the point I was making. The quotation he gives is quite correct, but it was at the Second Reading of the Bill. The by-elections were not there. They were not part of the undertaking. They were not part of the negotiations.

Constitutional Reform and Governance Bill. Queen's consent signified. Lords second reading debate. Amendment debated and withdrawn. Original motion agreed to on question. Bill committed to a Committee of the Whole House.

Constitutional Reform and Governance Bill. Queen's consent signified. Lords second reading debate. Amendment debated and withdrawn. Original motion agreed to on question. Bill committed to a Committee of the Whole House.