HL Deb 08 December 1970 vol 313 cc779-81

2.51 p.m.

THE LORD CHANCELLOR

My Lords, I beg to move that this Bill be read a second time. This is a Bill in which the Law Commission's amendments are the only new provisions. They are two in number. The first seeks to put into effect the presumed intention of Parliament in passing the Vehicles and Driving Licences Act 1969 by extending a section of the 1962 Consolidation Act to offences created by the 1969 Act. The second is to clear up a doubt relating to the maximum penalties for certain offences. The Law Commission propose that the doubt which they described should be resolved by providing that maximum fines in all cases should be those stated in the Bill now before your Lordships' House and not any lower ones which the Minister might from time to time prescribe. This will give certainty and simplicity where before there was, so I am told, a cloud of legal difficulties. My Lords, I beg to move that the Bill be now read a second time.

Moved, That the Bill be now read 2a.—(The Lord Chancellor.)

LORD GARDINER

My Lords, we on these Benches support the Second Reading of this Bill, and we agree with the two proposals made by the Law Commission.

LORD AVEBURY

My Lords, may I ask one point about this Bill? Clause 12(4) states that the licence must be exhibited on a vehicle "in the prescribed manner". I believe that in the original Bill "the prescribed manner" is the lower left-hand corner of the windscreen. It has been pointed out recently that on many modern cars this is an extremely inconvenient place on which to exhibit a licence. Would this Bill be an appropriate point at which to vary that provision?

THE LORD CHANCELLOR

My Lords, unfortunately in the mass of papers before me I have not a copy of the Bill. It is a consolidation measure and, therefore, it would not be appropriate to alter the terms of the Statute in this respect, except in so far as it contains Law Commission amendments. As I recollect the matter, the prescribed manner may be varied from time to time by Statutory Instrument or regulation, and I will certainly take note of the point that the noble Lord has raised. I do not know whether any noble Lord can add to my information in that respect, but I think it is fairly accurate.

LORD FERRIER

My Lords, I can say that I have recently purchased a car from the makers and the makers have put the licence circle behind the reflector in the middle of the windscreen.

On Question, Bill read 2a, and referred to the Joint Committee on Consolidation Bills.