§ The Lord Chancellor (Lord Mackay of Clashfern)My Lords, I beg to move that this Bill be now read a second time.
This Bill consolidates the Deer Act 1963 and the Deer Act 1980. The 1963 Act has been extensively amended since its passage by a succession of other Acts. Furthermore, both it, and the 1980 Act, contain a number of drafting defects which can usefully be corrected on the recommendation of the Law Commission where the work of this consolidation has been carried out. Accordingly, this Bill is a consolidation with amendments to give effect to the Law Commission recommendations which are contained in the commission's report on this Bill. I should like to take this opportunity of thanking the commission and the draftsman for their work in producing this consolidation. If your Lordships are content to give this Bill a Second Reading, it will be referred in the usual way to the Joint Committee on Consolidation Bills. I commend the Bill to the House.
Moved, That the Bill be now read a second time. —(The Lord Chancellor.)
§ On Question, Bill read a second time, and referred to the Joint Committee on Consolidation Bills.