§ [No. 24]
§ In the Schedule, page 7, line 15, leave out ("for valuable consideration").
§ BARONESS SUMMERSKILLMy Lords, these words are unnecessary because the definition of a "purchaser" in Section 20(8) of the Land Charges Act makes it clear, in any event, that a purchaser means a purchaser for valuable consideration. I beg to move.
§ Moved, That this House doth agree with the Commons in the said Amendment.—(Baroness Summerskill.)
§ On Question, Motion agreed to.
§ 1.2 p.m.
§ BARONESS SUMMERSKILLMy Lords, with the permission of the House, may I make a few final comments on this Bill and say how delighted I am to think that it will receive the Royal Assent to-night? I must confess that when my noble and learned friend who sits on the Woolsack referred to the comments of the noble and learned Lord, Lord Denning, I recalled that when he made those comments I applauded them. But the last 1152 thing I want to do is to cause administrative difficulties anywhere and to swamp the Land Registry. I simply hope that, probably from the newspapers, the women of the country will learn of their rights and of this new contribution to social legislation which will remove the legal disabilities of so many married women.
As a feminist, I am delighted that soon this measure will be on the Statute Book. But of course a Private Member cannot pilot a Bill through Parliament without the help of the expert—the expert who can help to draft it and to advise one through every stage. Therefore, I should like to pay tribute to the wonderful work of the Law Commission, whose Second Report came out two days ago. We have there men and women who are anonymous, but who are working very hard to improve our laws.
Then, of course, another place presents a difficulty to a Member of this place. I have observed through the years, when I have introduced Private Members' Bills, that your Lordships never look over your shoulder—at least, hardly ever—and are prepared to listen to a case with sympathy and understanding. If then you do not agree with it you reject it. Nevertheless, one always feels here that noble Lords listen without saying, "There is a small minority in my constituency who will not like this; therefore I shall reject it", or, "It will not look well in the newspaper if it appears that I have approved it". So I always find that when one is expounding a new measure here one is treated courteously and kindly by the House.
But it is a different proposition in another place, and one is faced with having to find somebody who not only has knowledge and experience but also has sympathy with the cause. So I should like to pay tribute here to the wonderful, brilliant young lawyer, Mr. Peter Archer, the Member of Parliament for Rowley Regis and Tipton, who successfully conducted this Bill through the Commons and who on Committee stage did not have an easy time. I am very grateful to him. Last, but by no means least, I should say this to my noble and learned friend who sits on the Woolsack. Without his continuing help and encouragement and expert assistance, I should never have seen this Bill to a 1153 successful end. May I thank him from the bottom of my heart for what he has done for me and for the women of the country?