§ [References are to Bill (55) as first printed for the House of Commons]
§ [Nos. 1–15]
§ Clause 1, page 1, line 14, leave out "1971" and insert "1972".
§ Clause 1, page 2, line 15, leave out "1971" and insert "1972".
§ Clause 5, page 6, line 25, leave out "1971" and insert "1972".
§ Clause 7, page 7, line 10, leave out "1971" and insert "1972".
§ Clause 7, page 7, line 26, leave out "1971" and insert "1972".
§
Clause 7, page 9, line 1, leave out subsection (7) and insert—
(7) Any reference in section 1 of this Act, or in subsection (1) of this section, to section 160 of the Road Traffic Act 1972 shall be construed as a reference to that section read together with section 5 of this Act.
§ Clause 7, page 9, line 17, leave out subsection (8).
893§ Clause 8, page 9, line 26, leave out "1971" and insert "1972".
§ Clause 8, page 9, line 27, leave out from "operation" to end of line 28 and insert "on such day as the Secretary of State may by Order made by statutory instrument appoint."
§ Schedule 1, page 10, line 4, column 3, leave out from beginning to end of line 18.
§ Schedule 1, page 10, line 14, column 1, leave out "1971" and insert "1972".
§ Schedule 1, page 10, line 16, column 1, leave out "1971" and insert "1972".
§ Schedule 2, page 10, line 21, column 3, leave out from beginning to end of line 53.
§ Schedule 2, page 10, line 44, column 1, leave out "1971" and insert "1972".
§ Schedule 2, page 10, line 49, column 1, leave out "1971" and insert "1972".
§ LORD SANDFORDMy Lords, I beg to move that the House doth agree with the Commons in their Amendment No. 1 and, if I may suggest it to your Lordships, Amendments Nos. 2 to 15 inclusive as well. I think it will save your Lordships' time if I invite you to consider all these Amendments together because they all flow from one factor; that is, the relevant timing of this Bill and that of the enacting of the Road Traffic Act 1972. When we were considering this Bill in December last year, it was drafted with the possibility that the Road Traffic Act enacting all the other relevant legislation with which this Bill is connected would come into force in 1971. As it has turned out, it will in fact come into force on July 1, 1972, and there are a number of Amendments altering the date accordingly. The fact that this happens enables us to introduce a number of simplifications in the Schedules of the Bill. These are included in Amendments 10 to 15 inclusive. Opportunity has been taken at the same time to introduce a measure of flexibility as to the scheduled day on which this Bill should come into force and to enable the Secretary of State to give it the maximum international publicity which, if your Lordships remember, was such an important feature of this particular Bill. All the Amendments hang round these three points and they all arise from a change in the timing which we had in mind when we first dealt with the Bill. 894 I hope that that brief explanation will satisfy your Lordships and enable you to approve Amendments Nos. 1 to 15, inclusive. I beg to move.
§ Moved, That this House doth agree with the Commons in their Amendments Nos. 1 to 15.—(Lord Sandford.)
§ LORD CHAMPIONMy Lords, I rise to say that certainly I have no objection to the course proposed by the noble Lord. I have looked at all these Amendments. They clearly are a tidying up exercise and certainly they simplify the Bill as it would have to be read by foreign operators in this country. Certainly that will be well worth while. These Amendments having been made in the other place with the consent of all the Parties and Members there, I think we ought to accept them en bloc.
§ On Question, Motion agreed to.