HC Deb 29 July 1965 vol 717 cc866-8

Lords Amendment No. 2: In page 7, line 2, after "required" insert: by the occupier or anyone acting on his behalf".

Mr. Willis

I beg to move, That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment.

This Amendment would merely limit the number of persons who would be entitled to require an officer of the Board to produce his written authority. It seems to be a desirable Amendment, and I hope that the House will accept it.

Question put and agreed to.

Lords Amendment No. 3: In page 7, line 3, leave out "before so entering".

Mr. Willis

I beg to move, That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment.

This Amendment would limit the power of entry provisions in the Clause and make it mandatory on any authorised person entering upon land to produce his authority on request not just before entering, but after he has secured entry. It covers the case of an officer who has made an entry in the absence, perhaps, of the occupier, and the occupier has come along to ask for his authority. It also obviates the difficulty that some people saw, that persons might be waiting at the entrance for the officer of the Board to arrive. The Clause was not too happily phrased in this regard, and the Amendment seems to us to be an improvement.

Mr. Michael Noble (Argyll)

A question has just entered my head. Suppose an officer of the Board was wandering round a property, perhaps behaving in a rather suspicious way to a passer-by. Could a police constable ask him what he was doing there? Would he not have to show his authority to the police officer?

Mr. Willis

The Amendment that we have just passed covers the people who are entitled to ask for the authority. The Amendment limits them to the occupier or anyone acting on his behalf. I imagine that a police officer who sees somebody behaving suspiciously has the normal rights of the police to find out what he is doing, and that would not, of course, be affected by this provision.

Question put and agreed to.

Lords Amendment No. 4: In page 7, line 4, after "unless" insert "at least".

Mr. Willis

I beg to move, That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment.

This makes clear what was already implicit in the Bill—that the period of notice specified in the Bill is the minimum period.

Question put and agreed to.

Lords Amendment No. 5: In Clause 10, page 7, line 5, after "purposes" insert "at least".

Mr. Willis

I beg to move, That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment.

This Amendment does the same as the previous Amendment.

Question put and agreed to.