§ The Lord Chancellor (Lord Mackay of Clashfern)My Lords, I beg to move that this Bill be now read a second time.
The Bill consolidates the law relating to the probation service together with provisions relating to persons on bail and the rehabilitation of offenders. This consolidation will be especially welcomed since the principal enactment in this area—the Powers of Criminal Courts Act 1973—has been heavily amended over the past 20 years.
The Bill contains a number of minor technical amendments to give effect to recommendations of the Law Commission which are necessary to produce a satisfactory consolidation. Those amendments are contained in the commission's report on this consolidation. I should like to take the opportunity of expressing appreciation to the commission and to the draftsman for their work in producing the Bill.
If your Lordships are content to give the 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.)
On Question, Bill read a second time, and referred to the Joint Committee on Consolidation Bills.