Compensation Bill [HL]

This has been a useful development triggered by my noble friend Lord Lucas. If I recall the case to which the noble Baroness referred, I would have known it as ““The Wagon Mound””. I am talking a little from memory, but I recall that in that case Lord Reid drew a contrast with Bolton v Stone. The Appellate Committee held that it was not negligent for a cricket club to do nothing about the risk of someone being injured by a cricket ball being hit out of the ground. The difference was that the cricket club was carrying out a lawful and socially useful activity in organising a cricket match and it would have had to stop playing cricket at the ground. That was the difference. My noble friend has caused us to retirer pour mieux sauter for a moment. I translate for the benefit of the noble Baroness: to take a step back to consider how better to proceed.