Skip to main content

Proceeding contribution from Paddy Tipping (Labour) in the House of Commons on Monday, 6 June 2005. It occurred during Debate on bill on Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill.


Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill

I agree that the Agricultural Wages Board is an important body, and I shall make a point on schedule 7, which concerns levy boards. This is enabling legislation and there is widespread agreement that change is necessary, if not inevitable, but when the work is done, the solutions may not be consensual. It is important that the House, Members and outside bodies play an important role in scrutinising whatever comes out of the process. The Bill is right to provide a peg for change—I have no worries about that—but I do worry that the result may not be adequately scrutinised. Part 6 of the Bill has been mentioned and there is a need again to update rights of way legislation. I am keen for an early commencement date for part 6, for the reasons given by the right hon. Gentleman. It is crazy that people can ride four-wheelers, quad bikes or trail bikes down tracks that were designed for coaches and horses. We must change that situation, and the Bill does just that. I look forward to the Minister telling me what the commencement date will be but I am told that the reason why a long commencement date is envisaged is that the Government have received legal advice that there are human rights implications. People from Eakering in Nottinghamshire have written to me to say that they have been out with their wheelchairs and pushchairs and have been run down by trail bikes and quad bikes; they know that there are human rights implications. We need action quickly. The Government have not so far published their legal advice and I understand the constraints upon them. But perhaps the Minister will give an undertaking this evening to explain what advice he has received and, at the very least, put a summary of it in the Library.


Secondary information

Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
434 c1029 
Session
2005-06
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
Related items
Deposited Paper HINF 2005/1409
Thursday, 14 July 2005
Deposited papers
House of Commons
Subjects
Access Disadvantaged Biodiversity Departmental responsibilities Enforcement Environment protection Joint Nature Conservation Committee Motor vehicles Nature conservation Pesticides Rights of way Wildlife Rural areas Sites of special scientific interest Cycleways Commission for Rural Communities Inland Waterways Advisory Council Natural England
Legislation
Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill 2005-06
Link
View this Proceeding contribution on www.publications.parliament.uk