Health Bill

moved Amendment No. 35:"After Clause 6, insert the following new clause—" ““DURATION OF SECTION 6 (1)   The provisions of section 6 shall remain in force until three years after their commencement and shall then expire unless continued in force by an order under subsection (2). (2)   The Secretary of State may by order provide— (a)   that all or any of those provisions which are in force shall continue in force for a period not exceeding twelve months from the coming into operation of the order; or (b)   that all or any of those provisions which are for the time being in force shall cease to be in force. (3)   No order shall be made under subsection (2) unless a draft of the order has been laid before and approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament.”” The noble Earl said: I alluded to this amendment in earlier remarks and should like to speak to it briefly. It is worded in such a way as to make the signage provisions renewable if need be. What troubles me is that if ever a government decided that we no longer needed to have no smoking signs plastered all over the place, it would require primary legislation to remove these provisions. I simply suggest that it is worth considering a sunset clause for these provisions. That is all I wish to say—the arguments in favour of a sunset clause have already been articulated. I beg to move.