HL Deb 22 October 1987 vol 489 cc242-3
The Lord Chancellor (Lord Havers)

My Lords, I beg to move that the Bill be now read a second time.

This Bill seeks to consolidate the Coroners Acts 1887 to 1980 and certain related enactments. In order to produce a satisfactory consolidation it includes certain amendments to give effect to two recommendations of the Law Commission which serve to resolve a possible ambiguity. The Home Office and the Coroners' Society of England and Wales were consulted in connection with both recommendations and the Coroner of the Queen's Household in connection with the second. There is no outstanding objection to either recommendation. It is a useful consolidation and will result in the repeal of eight Acts in whole together with 12 more in part.

I am sure that all your Lordships will join me in once again thanking the Law Commission for its valuable work on this and other consolidations. If your Lordships give this Bill a Second Reading it will be referred in the usual way to the Joint Committee on Consolidation Bills.

Moved, That the Bill be now read a second time.—(The Lord Chancellor.)

Lord Mishcon

My Lords, I should only like to add to what the noble and learned Lord has said by agreeing that this is a useful consolidation and paying a tribute to, apart from the Law Commission—because I now suitably can as I am no longer a member of the committee—the arduous work done by the committee of both Houses dealing with the consolidation of Bills. It is an arduous but so worthwhile task. I think that the chairman and members of that committee who represent your Lordships' House ought indeed to be thanked.

On Question, Bill read a second time, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House.