Harbours Bill [HL]

My Lords, I rise briefly to support the noble Lord, Lord Berkeley, on this small but important Bill. I must confess to having a slight feeling of déjà-vu—or should I say ““third view””?—because, as the noble Lord pointed out, this is the third time that he has tried to get this small but effective Bill on to the statute book. His clear explanation needs no window dressing. The Bill has the laudable aim of trying to simplify and, in many cases, speed up the process of making harbour orders. We all know that our harbours have played a vital role over the years in terms of our transport links and overseas trade. They have played a role also in our internal trade if we go further back in time. Environmental concerns mean that more goods are being carried by sea and taken off the roads and other means of transport, so it is important that harbours have the freedom to be able to do what they want without too much obstruction in the form of long and tedious public hearings. The aims of the Bill are admirable and I give it every support.