HC Deb 19 May 1978 vol 950 cc1034-5

'(1) Section 2(3) of the Administration of Justice Act 1964 (which provides that, for the purposes of the law relating to justices of the peace, magistrates' courts and other matters therein mentioned, a London commission area shall be deemed to be a county) shall have effect, and shall be deemed to have had effect as from 1st April 1974, as if—

  1. (a) after the words "magistrates' courts" there were inserted the words "magistrates' courts committees":
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  2. (b) before the word "county", where it first occurs, there were inserted the words "non-metropolitan"; and
  3. (c) after the words "passing of this Act" there were inserted the words "and references to a non-metropolitan county in any enactment or instrument as amended or modified by or under the Local Government Act 1972."

(2) Section 2(3A) of the said Act of 1964 (which provides that for the purposes of the law relating to magistrates' courts committees a London commission area shall be deemed to be a non-metropolitan county) shall cease to have effect.'.—[Mr. John.]

Brought up, and read the First time.

Mr. John

I beg to move, That the Clause be read a Second time.

Mr. Deputy Speaker (Sir Myer Galpern)

With this we are to take Government Amendments Nos. 58, 59, 76 and 77.

Mr. John

I think that by now the whole House is familiar with the rather bizarre reform of local government which occurred in 1972 under the Local Government Act. It had many and varied consequences. One of the strangest is the technical defect that the clause seeks to put right.

In paragraph 13 of Schedule 27 of the Act the definition of "petty sessions area" was changed in a way which inadvertently excluded petty sessional divisions in Greater London, because it referred to non-metropolitan counties and metropolitan districts, but not to London commission areas. This defect needs to be remedied before consolidation, and the Bill affords a good opportunity to do so. The method we have chosen is to amend the Administration of Justice Act 1964, since that contains the main provisions relating to the administration of justice in the Greater London area.

Question put and agreed to.

Clause read a Second time, and adder to the Bill.