HL Deb 14 June 1995 vol 564 cc1880-6

Article 17 - International special sign

1. The international special sign for works and installations containing dangerous forces, as provided for in Article 56, paragraph 7, of the Protocol, shall be a group of three bright orange circles of equal size, placed on the same axis, the distance between each circle being one radius, in accordance with Figure 5 illustrated below.

2. The sign shall be as large as appropriate under the circumstances. When displayed over an extended surface it may be repeated as often as appropriate under the circumstances. It shall, whenever possible, be displayed on flat surfaces or on flags so as to be visible from as many directions and from as far away as possible.

3. On a flag, the distance between the outer limits of the sign and the adjacent sides of the flag shall be one radius of a circle. The flag shall be rectangular and shall have a white ground.

4. At night or when visibility is reduced, the sign may he lighted or illuminated. It may also be made of materials rendering it recognisable by technical means of detection.")

The noble Lord said: Despite the considerable length of these amendments the Committee will be pleased to hear that they are, fortunately, straightforward, and that I will be able to deal with them briefly. The first two stem from the fact that a revised version of Annex I to Protocol I was brought into force on 1st March last year, but the text of the annex that is currently reproduced in the schedule to the Bill is that of a previous, and consequently out-of-date, version. Amendment No. 24 therefore deletes this obsolete text and inserts the current version of Annex I into the schedule. Amendment No. 23 is consequential and makes the necessary change where Article 56 of the protocol itself, as it currently appears in the schedule, refers to "Article 16" of the annex, whereas it should, in view of the revised version, make reference to "Article 17". Amendment No. 25 is similar to No. 21 in that it simply deletes text and makes provision for a pictorial representation to appear on the face of the Bill in its place. I beg to move.

On Question, amendments agreed to.

Schedule, as amended, agreed to.

In the Title:

Lord Archer of Weston-Super-Mare moved Amendment No. 26:

Line 2, leave out from ("Act") to ("and") in line 4 and insert ("1957 to enable effect to be given to the Protocols additional to the Geneva Conventions of 1949 done at Geneva on 10 June 1977;").

The noble Lord said: This amendment makes a minor alteration to the wording of the Bill's Title so that it refers to, the Protocols additional to the Geneva Conventions" etcetera. rather than to "certain international protocols". The incorrect year of the Act is also amended. This is a drafting amendment which does not affect the meaning of the Title. I beg to move.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey

We have taken these procedures with great seriousness and I do not want to detract from that, but anyone who looks at the Bill as read a second time, then the Bill as amended in Committee, cannot help being reminded of the Marx brothers. The Committee will remember the "Night at the Opera" when Groucho and Chico were negotiating the contract for Alan Jones as an opera singer. It proceeds with the, party of the first part shall hereinafter be called the party of the first part. Oh no, we don't need that amendment". The dialogue goes on through many clauses and finally they reach a clause called the sanity clause and Chico says, But there ain't no santy clause". I repeat, "There ain't no sanity clause".

Baroness Blatch

We have all received what the noble Lord said in the spirit in which he said it.

I remember the very first Bill that I attempted to take through this Chamber. It is a nerve-racking experience. I congratulate my noble friend. I should also like to thank everybody who has been party to allowing this Bill to have such a smooth passage. May it have God speed in another place.

On Question, amendment agreed to.

Title, as amended, agreed to.

House resumed: Bill reported with amendments. House adjourned at eight o'clock.