HL Deb 25 October 1984 vol 456 cc276-7

3.14 p.m.

Lord Sandys

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are contemplating a review of the Weeds Act 1959.

Lord Belstead

My Lords, last year my department consulted interested organisations on the need to retain specific legislation for the control of weeds. Our conclusion, which was announced in another place on 16th February this year, was that the Weeds Act 1959 continues to play a useful role in specific areas. We have no plans to conduct a further review.

Lord Sandys

My Lords, I thank my noble friend that for that very helpful Answer. Can he further enlarge on his Answer by informing the House whether it is the case that this legislation has been used on only one or two occasions, and will he also agree that that is no measure of the efficacy of the Act as such and that the fact that it exists on the statute book is often a very helpful preventive?

Lord Belstead

My Lords, my noble friend is right. I believe that the Act has been used only twice in the last five years, and I would entirely agree with my noble friend's view about the necessity to keep the Act on the statute book.

Lord John-Mackie

My Lords, I think it is very good that Her Majesty's Government have agreed to keep this Act. The point has often been made—and I think that I agree with it—that there is no such thing as a weed; it is only a plant in the wrong place. Nevertheless, the fact that the Act has been used only twice shows that over a whole area of land, particularly urban blight land, the weeds are not cleared. As I happen to farm in these areas, I would ask the Minister to make sure that, if I make a complaint, the Act will be used, because there is nothing worse than seeing thistledown floating over one's farm from unused land next door.

Lord Belstead

My Lords, if the noble Lord makes a complaint, it will be taken very seriously.

Lord Wallace of Coslany

My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that, as regards the weed problem, encouragement of the use of waste land and converting it into useful allotment gardens would go a long way towards controlling weeds?

Lord Belstead

My Lords, I am delighted to hear the noble Lord say that, and I believe I am right in saying that the take-up of allotments in the country at the present time is very good.

Lord Mishcon

My Lords, will the noble Lord confirm that any review of this Act would inevitably involve a reshuffle of the Cabinet?

Lord Belstead

My Lords, in fact, this Act applies only to five different sorts of weed. So far as I am concerned, the only thing which came out of the review was that the best thing to do with all five weeds was not to sit on them.

Lord Soames

My Lords, can my noble friend inform me whether the Nature Conservancy Council is in order under the Act when it instructs landowners not to cut thistles and other weeds because of the existence of rare flora?

Lord Belstead

My Lords, if, because of a management agreement, there was such a stipulation, of course that would come within the purview of the Nature Conservancy Council. However, if one of those five weeds was causing a threat to agriculture because it was liable to spread, it would be possible to bring the Act into effect.

Lord Soames

Oh, good.

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