§ 3.7 p.m.
§ House in Committee (according to Order): Bill reported without amendment.
§ Then, Standing Order No. 41 having been suspended (pursuant to the Resolution of July 19):
§ THE LORD CHANCELLOR (VISCOUNT KILMUIR)My Lords, I do not think I need take up any more of your Lordships' time by dealing with this matter further. I am sure your Lordships will appreciate that that does not indicate any discourtesy to the House, because the Bill was fully discussed in the last Parliament and we have had a Second Reading debate in this Parliament. I beg to move that the Bill be now read a third time.
§ Moved, That the Bill be now read 3a.—(The Lord Chancellor.)
§ EARL JOWITTMy Lords, I do not at all complain of the short way in which the Lord Chancellor has dealt with this matter. We had a full discussion in the last Parliament, and on the Second Reading debate I ventured to point out to the Lord Chancellor that in substance our Amendments had been incorporated in the Bill in its present form. I want to say only this. The county court is intended to be, and has always been, the poor man's court. It would be a great 986 pity if the poor litigant, who brings a small case for £5 or £10 or what you will, a case which to him is of vital importance, were in any way crowded out because actions involving higher finance had any form of precedence. I hope that the noble and learned Viscount will keep that matter under his close personal survey, as I am sure he will. I think that the effect of this Bill will be that many of these smaller cases will be tried by the registrars. That may be good or may be bad; it depends on the registrar. That, too, is a matter which I know the noble and learned Viscount will keep under his personal view.
Then the whole matter is, to some extent, a leap in the dark. We have to see how it works. I believe that it will work well, but I know that the Lord Chancellor will not mind my saying that it will work all the better if he keeps the whole matter under his careful personal view from time to time. Having said that, we on this side of the House give this Bill our blessing and hope that it will do what we certainly intend should be done.
§ THE LORD CHANCELLORMy Lords, I intervene for one moment only to give the noble and learned Earl the assurance for which he has asked. He and I have happy memories of the county courts. I can assure him that it will be a subject always near my heart and my mind.
§ On Question, Bill read 3a, and passed.