§ 11.29 a.m.
§ Read a third time.
§ Lord BleaseMy Lords, I beg to move that this Bill do now pass. I wish to take this opportunity to 507 thank noble Lords who spoke and who helped with this Bill. I should especially like to thank the Minister, the noble Lord, Lord Lyell, whom I see is sitting in his place, and the Minister in the other place, Mr. Needham, for their support for these measures which were initiated by the Reverend Martin Smyth.
I am sure that there are many other pressing Northern Ireland matters that could usefully benefit from similar co-operation and reasoned support.
Moved, That the Bill do now pass.—(Lord Blease.)
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Northern Ireland Office (Lord Lyell)My Lords, I hope your Lordships will grant me the indulgence of a few seconds, to say how the Government wish to pledge our entire support for the Bill which has been led through your Lordships' House by the noble Lord, Lord Blease. I doubt that anyone would dispute the worthiness of such a Bill. The Bill has been supported enthusiastically by everybody, both in this House and in another place. The approval, the encouragement and what has been said on the Bill here and elsewhere reflects the aims of the Bill. But as your Lordships know, the success of a Private Member's Bill does not necessarily rest on its worthiness, because success in steering such a Bill through your Lordships' House, let alone another place, requires a great deal of background, hard work and diligence. I want to take this opportunity of recording once again our thanks to the noble Lord, Lord Blease, for all that he has done, together with the work that has been done by the honourable Member for Belfast, South.
The disabled people in Northern Ireland will be heartened by the interest that has been shown in the Bill, in your Lordships' House and in another place. My final wish is a personal one. It is that the Bill will prove effective in meeting the objective of all who have so ably supported and sponsored it. This objective is that of helping to improve the quality of life of disabled people in Northern Ireland. I would add to our support everything that has already been said by the noble Lord, Lord Blease, as well as what was said in another place.
§ Lord Prys-DaviesMy Lords, I have no wish to add to or to modify in any way the speech which I made on Second Reading. We on this side welcome the Bill. I urge the department to ensure that its provisions are applied without waiting for a lead from a London-based department. I thank the noble Lord, Lord Blease, for having introduced the Bill.
On Question, Bill passed.