Commons Bill [HL]

My Lords, I support my noble friend’s amendment and I wish to address the two government amendments in this group, which have not yet been spoken to. Amendments Nos. 12 and 13, as my noble friend said, make it much clearer that there will be a core of inspectors or such people who will be trained and have expertise in commons registration. That is welcome and, while the Government’s new proposals do not go as far as my noble friend and I would like, they are a step forward. Amendment No. 13 performs another useful function. When we were debating Clause 24 in Committee and what will now become Clause 24(6), I was concerned that the powers were too all-embracing and would effectively allow the appropriate national authority or the Government to close down the commons registration authority and take over all its functions. I was assured that that was not the case and that could not be read into it. The new wording has clarified the issue and certainly satisfies me that no one in future can look at this matter and think that it would have the unfortunate effect that I suspected. The amendment’s more felicitous wording is much clearer and for that small reason I welcome it.