§ The Lord Chancellor (Lord Hailsham of Saint Marylebone)My Lords, I rise to move that this Bill be now read a second time. It is a consolidation Bill. It brings together the provisions of the Medical Act 1956 which was, at its time, itself a consolidation Act, and the Acts of the same title of 1969 and 1978 which made extensive amendments to that consolidation Act. The Bill also takes account of the effects on the existing law of the Medical Qualifications EEC 101 Recognition Order 1977 and several other statutory instruments.
The preparation of the consolidation Bill brought to light a number of technical defects in the existing law. To achieve a sound consolidation of the law this Bill accordingly incorporates amendments recommended by the two Law Commissions of England and Scotland in their reports numbered respectively 120 and 77 which were published and laid before your Lordships' House on 24th March. I should perhaps explain that, through an oversight, the reports of the Law Commissions appeared with the word "draft" inadvertently included in the title page. They were, in fact, final reports. The amendments are all of a technical nature and unless any noble Lord objects the Bill will go in the usual way to the Joint Committee on Consolidation Bills. I beg to move.
§ Moved, That the Bill be now read a second time.—(The Lord Chancellor.)
§ On Question, Bill read a second time and referred to the Joint Committee on Consolidation Bills.