HL Deb 08 March 1938 vol 108 cc5-6

Order of the Day for receiving the Report of Amendments read.

LORD MERTHYR

My Lords, I beg to move that the Report of Amendments be now received.

Moved, That the Report of Amendments be now received.—(Lord Merthyr.)

THE EARL OF RADNOR

My Lords, on the Committee stage of this Bill I brought forward an Amendment designed to allow the importation of docked horses from abroad for a temporary period of time for the purposes of exhibition, and I also included breeding. The noble Lord, Lord Merthyr, agreed to that Amendment, I think, in principle, but he had some objection to the actual wording of it. The noble Earl, Lord Feversham, intervened to say that the whole of Clause 4 would have to be redrafted if the Bill was to become law, so I withdrew my Amendment in Committee with a view to bringing forward an agreed Amendment at this stage. I understand now that the Ministry of Agriculture feel that they would prefer to bring forward their redrafting of Clause 4 at the proper stage in another place, and I consequently felt it undesir- able to weary your Lordships with any Amendment on my behalf. I hope that the Ministry's decision means that its views as to the ultimate fate of the Bill are such as I should desire.

On Question, Motion agreed to, and Amendments reported accordingly.