§ Order for Second Reading read.
§ 7.43 p.m.
§ The Solicitor-General (Mr. Peter Archer)I beg to move, That the Bill be now read a Second time.
This is a Bill to consolidate enactments relating to the solicitor's profession. It includes the provisions of the Solicitors (Amendment) Act, which has just reached the statute book. For the avoidance of doubt, I confirm that it includes them in their final form as they reached the statute book, so the amendments on which some of my hon. Friends have lavished such care are reflected in two statutes within a few days.
2166 Unless the House wishes, I do not pro pose to elaborate further, except to add that this is one more example of our debt to the Law Commission, the Scottish Law Commission, and the Joint Committee on Consolidation.
§ 7.44 p.m.
§ Mr. David Waddington (Nelson and Colne)I am privileged to be a member of the Joint Committee on Consolidation of Bills and I am therefore well aware of the superb work done by the present chairman and his predecessors.
The House will have been interested to hear the Solicitor-General's observations on the somewhat surprising career of the Solicitors (Amendment) Act. Having had a rather stormy career in this House, it eventually received the Royal Assent and will have remained on the statute book for a shorter time than almost any other enactment, because it is included in this consolidation measure and therefore repealed in the schedule.
I should like to express the Opposition's appreciation of the work done by the Law Commission in this connection, and of course to give the Bill a warm welcome.
§ Question put and agreed to.
§ Bill accordingly read a Second time.
§ Bill committed to a Committee of the whole House.—[Mr. Pavitt.]
§ Bill immediately considered in Committee: reported, without amendment.
§ Motion made, and Question, That the Bill be now read the Third time, put forthwith pursuant to Standing Order No. 56 (Third Reading), and agreed to.
§ Bill accordingly read the Third time and passed, without amendment.