§ The Lord Advocate (Lord Mackay of Drumadoon)My Lords, I beg to move that this Bill be now read a second time.
The Bill is a consolidation measure which seeks to consolidate the legislation relating to deer in Scotland. The Bill is not intended to make any change in the existing law. If your Lordships approve, it will be referred to the Joint Committee on Consolidation Bills which will consider the Bill and make its report to the House in due course.
Moved, That the Bill be now read a second time.—(Lord Mackay of Drumadoon.)
§ Lord Carmichael of KelvingroveMy Lords, I am most grateful to the noble and learned Lord the Lord Advocate for bringing this Bill before us today. As he knows, we tried an experiment and spent two days in Edinburgh discussing the Bill. That was a valuable experience for those of us who were not totally familiar with the subject of deer. I hope that we have now resolved the matter. Genuine problems have arisen in Scotland as a result of deer overpopulation; these are longstanding problems. I hope that there will not be another deer Bill until perhaps there is another government.
§ On Question, Bill read a second time, and referred to the Joint Committee on Consolidation Bills.