§ Order for Second Reading read.
§ 11.5 pm
§ The Solicitor-General (Sir Patrick Mayhew)I beg to move, That the Bill be now read a Second time.
This is strictly a consolidation Bill, which gathers together the amendments made in this area of the law since the County Courts Act 1959 was passed. Even a consolidation Bill has its beauties, but I should not be popular if I shared them.
There are a few technical amendments which I shall move at the Committee stage. However, they will not alter the character of the Bill as being a strict consolidation measure. I should like to express, on behalf of the House, our gratitude to the Joint Committee on Consolidation, &c., Bills, which gave most careful attention to the Bill and inspired certain changes which removed some imperfections. I should like to express my appreciation to the parliamentary draftsman, whose labours on this consolidation began in 1978 and have now been carried through to a most valuable completion.
§ Question put and agreed to.
§ Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House.—[Mr. Major.]
§ Committee tomorrow.