§ 11.21 a.m.
§ Order of the Day for the Second Reading read.
§ THE LORD CHANCELLOR (LORD GARDINER)My Lords, I beg to move that this Bill be now read a second time. This is a Consolidation Bill and therefore will go in the usual way to the Joint Committee on Consolidation Bills. It is a major piece of consolidation relating to our laws of rating and valuation and consolidates Acts going back 366 years. If it is possible for the Committee to deal with it so that it can become law by April 1, the beginning of the new rating year, that will, of course, be extremely convenient.
§ Moved, That the Bill be now read 2a.—(The Lord Chancellor.)
§ On Question, Bill read 2a, and referred to the Joint Committee on Consolidation Bills.