Commons Bill [HL]

My Lords, I am grateful to noble Lords for their contributions. In Committee, we had a rather lengthy debate on this subject and I am sorry that my noble friend Lord Jopling was not able to be present then. Many questions were raised on how associations can and may raise money and for what the money will be used. Some people have great fears about the ability of commons associations to acquire land, which would be open to them, if they had that amount of money. I thank the Minister for giving those examples, but I have to draw his attention to the cross-over between where we are with this Bill and with the CROW Act. The CROW Act is enacted over the whole of the UK and says that people can park anywhere, walk anywhere and go anywhere; people do not have to go through car parks or use car parks, which could be a bonus. The fact that in towns we pay to park our cars and think nothing of it causes me to smile, as people in the country have a very strange view and a great reluctance to put £1 in a box to park their cars. If people do not have to park their cars in a car park, I suspect that they will park them wherever they possibly can. I do not follow the Minister’s logic and I do not believe that some of the examples that he gave will necessarily raise the amount of money that he believes will be raised. I am faced with a very difficult situation. I am not happy with the Minister’s response. I know that I cannot go away, asking him to think about it again, as that is not within the rules of Report stage. That is one of the disadvantages of having the Committee stage in Grand Committee. Ministers may shake their heads, but it makes it very difficult. I do not want to lose on this issue, as I probably shall, but I intend to seek the opinion of House. On Question, Whether the said amendment (No. 40) shall be agreed to? Their Lordships divided: Contents, 123; Not-Contents, 140 Clause 35 [Rules: supplementary]: