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Lords amendment: No. 7, insert the following new clause—
The Apple and Pear Development Council Order and the Apple and Pear Development Council (Amendment) Order 1980 shall be deemed to have been validly made notwithstanding that they were made by the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food acting alone rather than by that Minister and the Secretary of State acting jointly.".
§ Mr. GummerI beg to move, That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said amendment.
Mr. Deputy SpeakerWith this it will be convenient to discuss Lords amendment No. 26, clause 16, in page 14, line 32, leave out "section 13(12)" and insert "sections (Validation of Apple and Pear Development Council Orders) and 13(12)".
§ Mr. GummerAt the time when the Government introduced this amendment my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food wrote to the hon. Members for Pontypridd (Mr. John), for Brecon and Radnor (Mr. Livsey) and for Caithness and Sutherland (Mr. Maclennan) in order to explain our reasons for introducing the amendment at a rather late stage. My noble Friend the Minister of State also gave a full explanation when moving the amendment in another place. Therefore, I propose to give only a brief summary on this occasion, unless hon. Members wish me to go into it in greater detail.
The purpose of the new clause is to remedy a technical fault in the making of two orders in 1980. Since the main purpose of the clause is to minimise possible difficulties for the affluent Apple and Pear Development Council, a worthy body that has the support of the British top fruit industry and, I believe, both sides of the House, 1 ask the House to agree to the Lords amendments.
§ Question put and agreed to.
§ Lords amendment: No. 8, in page 9, line 40, leave out subsection (2).