HL Deb 23 April 1970 vol 309 c924

6.41 p.m.

LORD BESWICK

My Lords, I beg to move that the House do now resolve itself into Committee on this Bill.

Moved, That the House do now resolve itself into Committee.—(Lord Beswick.)

On Question, Motion agreed to.

House in Committee accordingly.

[The BARONESS WOOTTON OF ABINGER in the Chair.]

Clause 1 [Age of purchase of fireworks, etc.]

LORD DERWENT moved Amendment No. 1: Page 1, line 6, leave out ("young").

The noble Lord said: May I say that this Committee stage of this Bill is not my fault. I think I explained the point of this Amendment on Second Reading. The Explosives Act 1875 did not refer to "young children"; it referred to children under a certain age. This clause refers to "young children", though the mini-mum age has been raised to 16. I think that any boy of 15, and particularly any girl of 15, would be rather annoyed at being called a "young child"; and it is not a true description of them. I beg to move.

LORD BESWICK

I seem to make a habit these days of accepting Amendments from the noble Lord, Lord Derwent. I am happy to accept this one.

On Question, Amendment agreed to.

Clause 1, as amended, agreed to.

Remaining clause agreed to.

House resumed: Bill reported, with the Amendment.