Clause14
Commons Bill [Lords]
11:15 am
David Drew (Stroud, Labour)
I am delighted to serve under your chairmanship,Miss Begg.
I do not intend to dwell on thissubject. However, the right hon. Member for Penrith and The Border(David Maclean) referred to a debate in the other place, and I wouldlike to address another aspect of the matter, which was an amendment ofLord Greaves on how to fast-track a registration of a common or avillage green. Through my noble Friend Lord Bach, the Governmentpromised to look into how that might be achieved. I know that they havedone so, but I am a little uncertain about what their position is inthis regard.
Let usaddress a possible scenario. Someone in their later years might wish topass over a piece of land that has been used for many years for acertain purpose—the example of cricket use has been offered. Itmight have been used for that purpose for more than the 20years—that seems to be the key period—but if that personhappens to die before the land is passed over, according to theexisting law, it cannot be seen as either a common or a village green.I wish the Government to make it absolutely clear that there is amechanism whereby if someone wishes to pass a piece of land over foruse by the people for the people that is now possible and that we donot have to wait for the so-called statutory 20 years for that to beachieved. I would be grateful if the Minister could clarify exactlywhat resulted from the debate in the otherplace.