PROTECTION OF WILD BIRDS (Hansard, 28 July 1953)

§ VISCOUNT TEMPLEWOOD
My Lords, I beg to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

THE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (LORE, LLOYD)
My Lords, when I replied to the debate on this subject in this House on December 3 last year, I said that we 951 were about to discuss certain modified proposals for legislation with the English and Scottish Wild Birds Advisory Committees; that there was no possibility of introducing a measure this Session; but that my right honourable friend was hopeful that a Bill might be ready for introduction next Session, if time could be found for it. I am glad to be able to report that good progress has been made on those lines. Detailed and valuable discussions have taken place with the Advisory Committees and the Nature Conservancy, and, following those discussions, the Government have decided in detail on the legislative provisions that they would like to see introduced.
In my speech last December I emphasised that I could give no guarantee about a Government Bill. I must now, unhappily, go further and tell the House that, sincerely anxious though my right honourable friends are to see an effective new measure reach the Statute Book. they can see little hope of finding a place for a Wild Birds Protection Bill in the Government's legislative programme for next Session. I have no doubt, however, that there are a number of private Members, both in your Lordships' House and in another place, who would be glad to introduce a Bill, I hope on lines which the Government would feel able to approve. The Government would be willing to give every support and assistance to such an enterprise, and all necessary arrangements are being made with this in view. I can, indeed, assure your Lordships that all the necessary preparatory work either has been or is being done to ensure that everything will be ready for the introduction of a Private Member's Bill early next Session.

§ VISCOUNT TEMPLEWOOD
My Lords, while thanking the noble Lord for certain parts of his statement, I would ask whether he is aware that there will be grave disappointment among many ornithologists and lovers of birds that the Bill is not to be a Government Bill. Assuming, however, that it is not to be a Government Bill, does the noble Lord remember that these proposals have emerged from an official Committee of 952 the Home Office and of the Scottish Office after three years of consultation? Does he not agree that it would be in every way objectionable if the work of these Committees—official Committees—were thrown away after all this long period of consultation? That being so, may I take it from the noble Lord that, although the Bill will not be a Government Bill, he and his colleagues in the Government will give it all the help that they can, and that when it comes to this House or another place we shall be able, with Government support in that way, to get it upon the Statute Book not later than some time during next Session?

LORD LLOYD
My Lords, as regards my noble friend's supplementary question, my right honourable friend shares the noble Viscount's regret that time cannot be found for a Government Bill on this subject next Session. But I should like to emphasise to the noble Viscount that this is not due to any want of good will on the part of the Government; it is due solely to the inexorable pressure of other Government business in Parliament. My noble friend asks me for an assurance that the Government will give every support to anybody who promotes such a Bill. I can say, in response to that question, that the Government will look sympathetically on the Bill and will give any help they can. The only thing I cannot undertake is that time will be found for the Bill in another place in Government time. It will be possible for it to be taken only in Private Members' time, over which, of course, the Government have no control.