Commons Bill [HL]

Amendment No. 169 takes out the functions for the commons association to have functions for the public interest, as specified in Clause 30(7). The question in my mind is whether the commons associations will have the resources to perform that function. It is not a popular function with some of the associations, but I shall listen with interest to the Minister’s reply. We would agree with Amendment No. 170, and the objectives of Amendment No. 170A are good. However, it is a complex amendment which, although well-meaning, is difficult to interpret when compared with Amendment No. 142, which was agreed on the previous sitting. However, I accept many of the points raised by the noble Lord, Lord Rotherwick. Amendment No. 171 deals with archaeological remains, which is important and we agree with that. Amendment No. 172 seeks to protect the rights of private access. We feel this is necessary for the housing to which the noble Baroness referred and the historic rights of access to it. There are a number of problems on that front which need to be resolved.