HL Deb 23 March 1965 vol 264 cc549-51

5.7 p.m.

Order of the Day for the Third Reading read.

LORD HUGHES

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

Moved, That the Bill be now read 3a.—(Lord Hughes.)

LORD CRAIGTON

My Lords, I am most grateful to the noble Lord for the way he has met all the many points we have raised. The course of this Bill has been unique in my not inconsiderable Parliamentary experience. When the Bill was published we were deluged with fears, complaints and suggestions. All these have been painstakingly sifted and examined in correspondence, meetings and in your Lordships' House. To-day, if one fear or complaint remains, I am not aware of it. Every point has been met or satisfactorily answered. Even my noble friend Lord Balerno withdrew with good grace his lone demand for a free full certificate.

We send this Bill to another place with only one point still unresolved: the desirability of taking in it at least the first steps in reciprocal arrangements for the registration in the Border areas as Scottish of children of Scottish parents born across the Border in England and the similar registration as English of children born of English parents on the Scottish side of the Border. The noble Lord told me that he has asked the Registrar General to take up this matter with his opposite number in England. We both realise that it is inappropriate to put down an Amendment on this point at this stage, but I shall try to draw it to the attention of my right honourable friends in another place. We must leave them a little work to do on this Bill.

LORD BURDEN

My Lords, I should like to join with the noble Lord, Lord Craigton, in expressing our thanks and appreciation to the noble Lord, Lord Hughes, who has been in charge of the Bill for his handling of it in such an exemplary manner. I regret that owing to circumstances beyond my control I was not able to be in my place at the Report Stage of the Bill when my noble friend put down the Amendment in which I was associated with the noble Lord, Lord Craigton, and other Members of your Lordships' House. I should like to be associated with the thanks which were expressed by Lord Craigton and others for that Amendment not only on our behalf but on behalf of the National and Local Government Officers' Association whose views have been met in this manner by this Amendment. I am convinced that this Amendment, accepted and embodied in the Bill, will considerably help in the smooth working of the provisions of the Bill when it becomes an Act, especially in those transitional stages which often present very great difficulties. I end by again expressing my cordial thanks to the Minister for the way in which he has piloted this measure and helped us in securing such an exceptional Bill, one which, as the noble Lord, Lord Craigton, has said, is unique in our experience in this House.

On Question, Bill read 3a.

LORD HUGHES

My Lords, I beg to move that the privilege Amendment be agreed to.

Amendment (privilege) moved— Clause 58, page 32, line 15, at end insert— ( ) Nothing in this Act shall impose any charge on the people or on public funds, or vary the amount or incidence of or otherwise alter any such charge in any manner, or affect the assessment, levying administration or application of any money raised by any such charge."—(Lord Hughes.)

On Question, Amendment agreed to; Bill passed, and sent to the Commons.