Compensation Bill [HL]

I agree with the noble Lord about Bolton v Stone. A woman who lived near the cricket ground was hit when she was in her front garden because the batsman hit a six out of the ground. To stop that happening would have required huge expense which would, effectively have put an end to the cricket club playing cricket. The court held that in those circumstances there was no liability. The noble Lord is right; trying to deal with this perception is something about which people feel very passionately. Therefore, we do not want to curtail or to fetter the courts, but simply to say something very clearly about the current position. We want to make sure that we can say to ordinary people—the ones we are most concerned about, who do not read legislation and who do not necessarily understand the law—that we have done this. It is very important. The views of the noble Earl, Lord Erroll, and the noble Lord, Lord Lucas, are very strong and we are trying to strike a balance. As I have indicated, I am comfortable about looking at the wording, but let us not narrow it or change it so that it would not have the great effect that we want. I am happy to do that, if noble Lords can come up with a better wording.