Lighter Evenings (Experiment) Bill [HL]

moved Amendment No. 4:"Page 2, line 13, at end insert—" ““( ) This Act shall come into force only if a commencement date has been appointed in all of the cases in paragraphs (a) to (d) of subsection (2).”” The noble Lord said: I apologise to the Committee that I was not able to be here for Second Reading. If I had been here I would have expressed my opposition to the reintroduction after more than 30 years of this experiment. I feel a sense of déjà vu because on 2 December 1970, after trying out British Standard Time for a number of years—virtually the same arrangement as that proposed by the noble Lord in his Bill—a debate was held in the other place to decide whether to continue. I think I am right to say that I am the only person still in either House of Parliament who spoke in that debate. I should say in passing that I am only just the only person because my great friend both in this House and from the other place, Lord Gray of Contin, made his maiden speech on that occasion. He expressed his opposition to any continuation of the experiment. All noble Lords will remember the result of that debate. The trial of British Standard Time was thrown out by Members of the other place on a free vote of 361 to 81. One could hardly have had a firmer view on whether the experiment was a good or a bad thing.