§ The Attorney-General (Sir Michael Havers)I beg to move amendment No. 1, in page 31, line 9, leave out
'level 3 on the standard scale'and insert '£400'.
§ The Chairman of Ways and Means (Mr. Harold Walker)With this it will be convenient to take Government amendments Nos. 2 to 6.
§ The Attorney-GeneralThe County Courts Bill is a consolidation Bill and amendments Nos. 1 to 6 are designed to remove some minor drafting errors which have only just come to light. The Bill has already been considered by the Joint Committee on Consolidation &c. Bills and the Chairman of that Committee has approved the amendments.
Amendments Nos. 1, 2, 5 and 6 fit conveniently together. Amendments Nos. 1 and 2 correct a drafting error concerning the penalties provided for by clauses 55 and 118. Both clauses wrongly describe the penalties for which they provide by means of reference to the standard scale of fines which applies to summary offences. The offences in question are not summary offences. Therefore, it is proposed to delete the references to the standard scale and insert instead the relevant monetary amounts of £400 and £1,000, the amounts actually in force. Amendments Nos. 5 and 6 are technical amendments consequential upon the first two.
Amendments Nos. 3 and 4 effect minor consequential amendments in the Insolvency Act 1976, converting references in that Act to the County Courts Act 1959 into references to the new consolidating County Courts Act.
§ Amendment agreed to.
§ Clause 55, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.
§ Clauses 56 to 117 ordered to stand part of the Bill.