Not quite long enough, m'lud
There has been disappointment in the Lords, and not because the prime minister is threatening to take out the hereditary peers. No, the Marine and Coastal Access Bill has completed its tortuous passage through the Upper House. This legislation establishes a new planning and licensing regime for, among other things, offshore energy schemes.
The peers got quite excited over the prospect that they might be heading for the record books after taking one week short of six months to deliberate over the Bill. Sadly, Lord Hunt of Kings Heath, the minister in charge, had to reveal that it wasn't long enough. "I had thought that this might have been the longest-running Bill in the history of your Lordships' House. Alas, I am informed that the Animal Health Bill had its First Reading on 13 December 2001 and its Third Reading on 4 November 2002, but, although ours is not the longest-running Bill, my goodness me, we have certainly spent a long time at it."
Quite.


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