HL Deb 29 July 1976 vol 373 cc1470-1

11.27 a.m.

Lord CHELWOOD

My Lords, I understand that no Amendments have been set down to this Bill and that no noble Lord has indicated a wish to move a manuscript Amendment or to speak in Committee. Therefore, unless any noble Lord objects, I beg to move that the Order of Commitment be discharged.

Moved, That the Order of Commitment be discharged.—(Lord Chelwood.)

On Question, Motion agreed to.

Then, Standing Order No. 43 having been suspended, pursuant to the Resolution:

Lord CHELWOOD

My Lords, I beg to move that this Bill be now read a third time, and I shall be grateful if I may have two minutes of your Lordships' time. I explained on Second Reading the overdue need for realistic maximum fines if the Protection of Birds Act 1954, as amended in 1967, was to be made reasonably effective again. New maximum fines of £100 and £25 do no more than offset the fall in the value of money in the last 22 years, and do no more than bring the maximum fines into line with recent legislation in other conservation fields. I hope that in the next Session it may be possible for detailed consideration to be given to other amendments to the Protection of Birds Act 1954, but this is not the time to discuss them.

Today, it remains only for me to thank your Lordships on both sides of the House most warmly for supporting me on Second Reading, when I gave a fairly detailed explanation of the need for this amending legislation; and, in particular, to thank the noble Lord, Lord Wells-Pestell, for the very complimentary, though quite untrue and unnecessary, things that he was kind enough to say about me. So I thank your Lordships' House for allowing this overdue measure such a quick and easy passage. There is in the country a welcome and growing interest in natural history and in conservation generally. I believe that this modest amendment will bring widespread pleasure and approval to a great many people and, may I add, I hope protection for the wild birds which we seek to protect.

Moved, That the Bill be now read 3a,.—(Lord Chelwood.)

On Question, Bill read 3a, and passed.