§ Lords Amendment No. 5: In page 5, line 25, after "of" insert "not more than".
§ The Under-Secretary of State for the Environment (Mr. Eldon Griffiths)I beg to move, That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment.
§ Mr. John Silkin (Deptford)The point of the Amendment is very clear. One obviously cannot have a fixed fine—that is not something we normally have in our law—but I hope that when the permanent legislation comes along the Government will consider a maximum fine far greater than £400. It seems to me that the deliberate deposit of, for 803 example, cyanide drums merits even on summary conviction a fine a great deal more than is provided in the Bill.
§ Mr. Eldon GriffithsI note what the right hon. Gentleman says. As he rightly points out, the purpose of the Amendment is to avoid laying a fixed fine on the magistrates' court. The right hon. Gentleman will be the first to appreciate that there could be circumstances in which it would be quite wrong to impose a large fine, as, for instance, where the offence was really no more than a slip of the pen. However, I take the point, and I am sure that my right hon. Friend will recognise the need for what the right hon. Gentleman suggests.
§ Question put and agreed to.