Crown land

Part of Orders of the Day — Agriculture Bill – in the House of Commons at 5:05 pm on 17 April 1986.

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Photo of Mr Michael Jopling Mr Michael Jopling , Westmorland and Lonsdale 5:05, 17 April 1986

The Bill came out of Committee at the end of January. I have seen reports in the press over the past few months that its progress through the House was delayed because the Government were trying very hard to find a way of getting agreement, so that the matter could be dealt with in the Bill. I think that has been generally known and I am surprised at my hon. Friend's reaction.

I had to reach a view as to what is reasonable in a situation where the landlords' and tenants' representatives take sharply opposed views as to what should be done. Hon. Members on both sides of the House will have seen the briefing which has been put out by various parties pointing in opposite directions. They may have noted that on the one hand the National Farmers Union has described this proposal as "completely unfair", while on the other the Scottish Landowners Federation has suggested that it brings in

a principle hardly consistent with natural justice". Hon. Members may draw their own conclusions from the fact that the Government's proposal lies between the points of view of those two organisations. For my part I totally reject such extravagant assertions as have been made. On the contrary, I believe that the solution which is set out in the Government's new clause and schedule is fair and reasonable both to landlords and tenants.