Clause 30
Commons Bill [Lords]
6:45 pm
Roger Williams (Shadow Minister (Rural Affairs), Environment, Food & Rural Affairs; Brecon and Radnorshire, Liberal Democrat)
Thank you, Miss Begg. I am sure that a number of us will take great comfort from the fact that the Minister put on record that, in setting up the statutory bodies to represent commons, the people with a legal right in respect of the commons should have their rightful place on those bodies. We can take some comfort from that. He suggested the people whom he had in mind—those who exercise rights, the landowner, and sporting tenants. That is of great comfort to us and to people who use commons.
How the bodies are to be made up is important, because they will have considerable powers; they will be entirely different from the voluntary associations that will need the agreement of all commoners before they can enter into agreements on environmental schemes. Clause 33, which we will debate shortly, says:
“A commons association does not need the consent of a person who has a right of common over the land for which it is established in order to do anything on the land”.
It adds:
“A commons association does not need the consent of any other person with an interest in the land for which it is established in order to do anything on the land where what is proposed to be done could be done without that person’s consent by any person who has a right of common over the land.”
So those bodies really will have a new power that has not been exercised by voluntary associations in any way. That is why we are concerned that people who manage and use commons should have confidence in the associations that are to be set up, and why we have taken some time to debate the amendments. Certainly, the Minister’s statement on the matter is important, and we shall reflect on it, although we might return to the issue on Report. In light of his comments, I beg to ask leave to withdraw the amendment.