HC Deb 05 November 1980 vol 991 cc1307-8

Lords amendment: No. 2, in page 10 line 40, leave out "28 of the Criminal Law Act 1977 "and insert" 32 of the Magistrates' Courts Act 1980."

Mr. Tebbit

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

Mr. Speaker

With this we may take Lords amendments Nos. 3, 4 and 5.

Mr. Tebbit

These amendments are even less controversial than those that we have just discussed. I do not think that there can be any disagreement about these matters. These four amendments are consequential on the passing of the Magistrates' Courts Act 1980. We could not take account of that Act when the Bill was discussed earlier in the House. Now we can. The Magistrates' Courts Act is a consolidation measure which, when it comes into force on a day to be specified, will replace those parts of the Criminal Law Act 1977 which are specified in the penalty provisions of clause 10 of the Civil Aviation Bill.

The first three of the four amendments remove the references in the clause to the Criminal Law Act 1977 and substitute references to the Magistrates' Courts Act 1980. The fourth amendment is a transitional provision, which will preserve the application of the 1977 Act until the 1980 Act enters into force.

Mr. Clinton Davis

Is the Minister able to indicate, as a matter of information, when the Magistrates' Courts Act 1980 will come into force?

Mr. Tebbit

No. I regret that I am not informed. I am sure that if the hon. Gentleman asks one of my colleagues in the Home Department the answer will be provided.

Question put and agreed to.

Lords amendments Nos. 3 to 5 agreed to.