Commons Bill [HL]

moved Amendment No. 45:"Page 7, line 16, leave out ““or (3)”” and insert ““, (3) or (3A)””" The noble Lord said: It is a great honour to open the batting today. In moving Amendment No. 45, I shall speak also to Amendment No. 56, the purpose of which is to facilitate the donation of land as village or town greens. I speak from some minor experience in this matter because my family is in the process of trying to donate a piece of land in the middle of a village and has found the process extremely complex. I am aware that many people could be put off by the current procedures, which mean that you cannot get inalienability on the land until it is finally registered, some 20 years after you make the gift. That means that there is always the danger of the holding party of that piece of land being tempted to sell it for some building purpose or for another purpose in the mean time. Without inalienability, people will tend to think twice before they make such a donation. The amendments that I have been advised to table would enable early dedication, as opposed to registration, and would cut down on the considerable hassle involved in giving land, thereby improving the flow of land to town and village greens. I beg to move.