I beg to move amendment No. 966, in

clause 271, page 149, leave out line 23.

The amendment seeks to change the commencement of the provisions in clause 248 and schedule 20 relating to the increasing penalties for drugs-related offences, a subject that has involved a great deal of debate within the Committee, from Royal Assent to a later date in accordance with a provision made by the Secretary of State. The interval is needed to ensure that the guidance needed to accompany the commencement of the provisions is in place. That partly answers a question that the hon. Member for Southwark, North and Bermondsey raised when we discussed those matters previously.