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6.27 pm
Mr. Speaker
Before we come on to the motion for the summer Adjournment, I have a short statement to make on the Consolidated Fund (Appropriation) Bill topics which will follow the passing of the Bill.
As can be seen from the Order Paper, the second debate on crime figures was to have been initiated by the hon. Member for Bootle (Mr. Carr) who, sadly, died suddenly at the weekend. The practice of the House is that particular topics are the property of the Member concerned, and therefore, if a Member is not present, the topic lapses. Exceptionally, on this occasion, since the hon. Member died over the weekend, and since eight other hon. Members had applied for a debate on the same subject, I have decided that a supplementary ballot should be held among those Members, and the debate will now be initiated by the right hon. and learned Member for Warley, West (Mr. Archer). This decision is not to be regarded as a precedent, and it remains the rule that substitution for a Member who cannot be present to initiate such a debate is not permissible.