---

Commons Bill [HL]

moved Amendment No. 1:"Page 1, line 7, leave out ““or”” and insert ““and””" The noble Baroness said: Before I move the amendment, I welcome the Minister. It is the first time he has worked on a Bill with the Defra team. I also record our thanks for the briefings that we received. In moving Amendment No. 1, I wish to speak also to Amendments Nos. 22, 23 and 25, which seek clarification. From my reading of the Bill, the matter is not clear. The purpose of the amendment is to ascertain whether the Government intend there to be one register for town greens and another for village greens or whether a single register will do for both. On page 1, Clause 1(b) reads as though there will be a single register and it will contain either town or village greens. On page 4, it reads as though there will be a single register but page 1, Clause 1(a) specifies that common land will have its own register so the implication must be that there will be separate registers for town and for village greens. In view of the number of instructions that are to come through regulation rather than from perusal of the Act, it would be sensible that from the beginning each application should have a separate register. As I say, I seek clarification. I beg to move.