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Compensation Bill [HL]

Perhaps I may interject one comment to clear the air a little. The noble Earl, Lord Erroll, continues with his vivid case on which the Minister has made some wise observations. In British common law it is crucial that where the House of Lords reaches a decision, that becomes a precedent which all inferior courts must follow. Although there is a plethora of cases, the case of Tomlinson will in future clarify and develop the concept of negligence in the circumstances of interest to the Bill. I hope that it would have led to a different decision in the case mentioned by the noble Earl, although I have not read the facts and who can say?