Constitutional Reform and Governance Bill

Might I suggest to the hon. Gentleman that what is clearly troubling a number of hon. Members is the fact that some treaties will be of relatively minor importance and will not require debate? Is not a sensible way forward to agree to the amendment in his name, with a modification to be made in the other place, so that generally speaking, treaties will be both debated and approved before ratification, unless the House resolves that debate is unnecessary, in which case a resolution will suffice—in other words, to create the presumption that there is debate and approval with a disapplying mechanism?