HC Deb 21 April 1959 vol 604 c328

Motion made, and Question proposed, That the Clause stand part of the Bill.

Mr. Ernest Davies

There is only one one question I want to put to the Parliamentary Secretary, which I am sure he will be readily able to answer. I, too, did a little research into the original Act which we are consolidating, the 1835 Highways Act. This Clause replaces Section 72 of that Act. Paragraph (c) of Clause 127 of the present Bill reads: If, without lawful authority, or excuse— (c) a hawker or other itinerant trader of a gipsy pitches a booth, stall or stand, or encamps on a highway. In the 1835 Act higglers were prohibited from camping on the highway. Why have we dropped the higglers from this Bill? Why are we not saying that they also are prohibited from camping on the highway? I am sure that it would be a very serious matter today if higglers did so, so perhaps the Joint Parliamentary Secretary would tell us why they have been omitted.

Mr. Nugent

I thank the hon. Member for the compliment which he pays me in expecting me to know every detail of this Bill of 313 Clauses. I think that the answer is that the words "itinerant trader" are wide enough to cover higglers, and therefore it is not necessary to specify them separately.

Question put and agreed to.

Clause ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clauses 128 to 158 ordered to stand part of the Bill.