Firearms (Northern Ireland) Order 1980 (Hansard, 13 January 1981)

Viscount Long
My Lords, I beg to move that the Firearms (Northern Ireland) Order 1980, a draft of which was laid before the House on 14th July 1980, in the last Session of Parliament, be approved. This order consolidates the law relating to firearms. It makes no changes of substance in the existing law, but brings it together in one order. My Lords, I beg to move.

§ Lord Blease
My Lords, I should like to thank the noble Viscount for his brief and very precise explanation of this order. I note that the First Report of the Joint Committee on Consolidation Bills refers to this and to the following two draft orders before us today, and that the Joint Committee duly considered this and the other orders. I have also made appropriate inquiries from the Law Society for Northern Ireland—a body which in my view does excellent work in scrutinising and considering legislation and orders affecting Northern Ireland—and I understand that the views of the society concur with those of the Joint Committee, in respect of not only this particular order but also the other three orders before us today, including the Consequential Amendments Order. I therefore wish to indicate support for this order, and, if it be convenient to the House, also for the remaining Northern Ireland orders before us today.

Viscount Long
My Lords, I am most grateful to the noble Lord for what he has said. It might be of interest if I go just one step further and describe to the House what has in fact happened. This order and the Clean Air and Road Traffic Orders, which I shall move shortly, were considered by the Joint Committee on Consolidation Bills in December. This was the first occasion on which this Committee had considered orders of this nature; and, as is reflected in their report, the Committee confirmed that the orders are indeed pure consolidation. I felt the House would like to know that as it eases the situation and the pressure of work.