§ [No. 13]
§ Clause 14, page 14, line 18, leave out "shall serve on him" and insert "if so required by the objector, shall afford to him an opportunity of appearing before, and being heard by, a person appointed by the Secretary of State for the purpose, and shall then serve on the objector."
§ LORD DRUMALBYNMy Lords, I beg to move that this House doth agree with the Commons in their Amendment No. 13. Your Lordships will recall that Clause 14 was introduced into the Bill as a result of earlier debates in your Lordships' House. The purpose of this Amendment to the clause is to provide 1545 that a person who serves on the Secretary of State a notice objecting to a non-urgent direction under Clause 11 relating to buildings and works shall have the opportunity, if he wishes, to appear before a person appointed by the Secretary of State and have his objection heard by him.
I am advised that under Common Law it would be open to the person making the objection to be accompanied or represented by his legal advisor when his objection is being heard and that there is no need to make this explicit in the Bill—indeed it would be at variance with established practice to do so. I beg to move.
§ Moved, That this House doth agree with the Commons in the said Amendment.—(Lord Drumalbyn.)