Commons Bill [HL]

I find it difficult to speak from the Front Bench, given the different views that have been put over. Comments have been made about the fierce independence of commons associations, and there is no doubt that localities differ hugely. My noble friend Lord Tyler has said that the commons association has been a success on Dartmoor. I would put a full stop behind that. It may be a success on Bodmin Moor; my noble friend will know far better than I. But in some places, there are very strictly drawn commons associations. For example, a main road crossing a common is sometimes the division between two commons associations. So the word ““encouragement”” seems to me to be apposite. I shall shortly move Amendments Nos. 132 and 133 and will hold my fire until then. There may be ways and means of making progress, but I do not think it can be a top-down situation.