ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE PRE VENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS BILL

HL Deb 23 April 1958 vol 208 c911

2.36 p.m.

THE CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEES (LORD MERTHYR)

My Lords, I beg to move that this Bill be read a second time.

Moved, That the Bill be now read 28^a.—(Lord Merthyr.)

VISCOUNT ELIBANK

My Lords, may we have some explanation of the Bill—what it is about?

LORD MERTHYR

My Lords, I think I can state that very briefly. The purpose of this Bill, putting it shortly and generally, is to extend the powers of investment of the Society so as to enable it to invest its funds in something more than trustee securities. The operative clause of the Bill—and I think I can say that there is only one really operative clause—divides the funds of the Society into two unequal parts, and gives the Society authority to invest one of those two parts, the greater one, in moneys which are, again to use general words, outside trustee securities. I think I can assure the noble Viscount that there is nothing else in this Bill, and that that is its sole purpose.

VISCOUNT ELIBANK

I am obliged. I thought the Bill was concerned particularly with cruelty to animals.

On Question. Bill read 2^a, and referred to the Committee on Unopposed Bills.