Lady Saltoun of Abernethy: My Lords, the hour is late, very much later than I was originally told it was likely to be, so I shall not detain your Lordships by responding to individual speeches. However, I shall read what has been said very carefully, particularly what has been said by the Minister, to whom I should like to reiterate that this is but an enabling Bill, and that it might make a nice stick for the...
Lady Saltoun of Abernethy: My Lords, I beg to move that this Bill be now read a second time. A very similar Bill to this one was introduced into another place last June by Austin Mitchell MP, supported by a cross-party group of Members. Unfortunately, it did not get a Second Reading and, of course, fell at the end of the previous Session. Austin Mitchell was kind enough to pass it on to me with suggestions for its...
Lady Saltoun of Abernethy: My Lords, I beg to introduce a Bill to make provision for the United Kingdom to withdraw from the common fisheries policy of the European Union; to amend the Fishery Limits Act 1976; and for connected purposes. I beg to move that this Bill be now read a first time. Moved, That the Bill be now read a first time.—(Lady Saltoun of Abernethy.) On Question, Bill read a first time, and ordered to...
Lady Saltoun of Abernethy: My Lords—
Lady Saltoun of Abernethy: My Lords, I strongly support the noble Lord, Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts, in his amendment to the order. Until we have proof that changing the classification of cannabis will not lead to its increased abuse, its classification should not be changed. I do not think that we have that proof, or that experience in other countries suggests that if we were to liberalise the use of cannabis we...
Lady Saltoun of Abernethy: My Lords, what are spin-out companies?
Lady Saltoun of Abernethy: My Lords, is the Minister aware that there is a telephone number that one can ring or an address to which one can write to stop unsolicited fax messages? I should be very pleased to send that information to any noble Lord who would like it, if I can find it.
Lady Saltoun of Abernethy: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have any plans to introduce legislation to prohibit "pyramid schemes".
Lady Saltoun of Abernethy: My Lords, when did preparation of the dossier start?
Lady Saltoun of Abernethy: My Lords, following the remarks of the noble Baroness, Lady Trumpington, and the noble Baroness, Lady Williams, it is not the Leader of the House or the Whip on the Bench who keeps order. They merely voice the views of the House on who should speak. The House keeps order itself. They merely articulate what they perceive to be the views of the House. When I first entered the House 23 years...
Lady Saltoun of Abernethy: My Lords, I wonder whether the Museums Association has ever considered that an annual visit to a museum, for some children, may put them off visiting museums for life.
Lady Saltoun of Abernethy: My Lords, what is the point of the House rising at seven o'clock on Thursdays in order to enable Peers who live a long way away to get home on Thursday evening when the House is going to sit on Friday at 11 o'clock?
Lady Saltoun of Abernethy: I strongly support Amendment No. 355 in the name of the noble Baroness, Lady Noakes. At the same time I shall speak to Amendment No. 359, which seeks to delete Clause 74(2). It seems to me to be a very restrictive injunction worthy of the Government in nasty nanny mode and determined to interfere in every area of people's private lives. What constitutes a dwelling? Is an hotel bedroom a...
Lady Saltoun of Abernethy: I agree with the noble Lord, Lord Northbourne, and I, too, support the noble Lord, Lord Lucas. One of the objects of the Bill is to reduce the incidence of rape. A wise man once said to me that it is largely thanks to prostitution that our wives, mothers and daughters walk the streets in safety. I do not believe that they now walk with quite the safety that I enjoyed when I was young—we...
Lady Saltoun of Abernethy: My Lords, do the Government have any plans to restrict unsolicited faxes? My fax paper is always being wasted by people who send me faxes I do not want. I do not know whether they could be called "corned beef" or something, but I have had enough of them.
Lady Saltoun of Abernethy: My Lords, is the Minister aware that if, having taken off one end of the corned beef can with the twisty thing provided—assuming that you have not lost it—you then take a common, ordinary, household tin-opener and take off the other end, it is very easy to push the corned beef out of the tin without any danger to yourself?
Lady Saltoun of Abernethy: had given notice of her intention to move Amendment No. 203: Page 14, line 44, after "are" insert "first" The noble Lady said: I will not move the amendment, but I want to say that I am not happy with the definition in subsection (5)(b) that, X'cousin' means the child of an aunt or uncle". That is not correct. It is sloppy and bad use of English. If the noble and learned Lord does not see fit...
Lady Saltoun of Abernethy: Could we have some less complicated language? We keep hearing about the "spouse of the aunt or the uncle". The spouse of the aunt or the uncle is the uncle by marriage or the aunt by marriage. Those terms have been used all my life and are, so far as I am aware, still in use.
Lady Saltoun of Abernethy: Clearly, I should have spoken to my amendment earlier. In spite of what the noble and learned Lord has said, I still think that "cousin" should be more sharply defined at an earlier stage. That would avoid any confusion. The child of an aunt or an uncle is a first cousin. It would be advantageous to specify that in the Bill. I shall not say any more, because my argument is now redundant. I...
Lady Saltoun of Abernethy: I support my noble friend's amendment, for more or less the reasons that I mentioned a few minutes ago. Very young girls can fall in love and, if they have had no proper upbringing and have no idea of restraint, they may throw themselves at the object of their affections to such a degree that they make it difficult for him—especially if the child appears to be considerably older than she...