Commons Bill [HL]

I make no apology about graziers’ rights having priority. The situation is somewhat at odds with the provision of Clause 15(6). There are huge questions of agronomic-economic viability if graziers are unable to put rams out at tupping time. There are problems associated with lambing, which is often done on by-land. There are huge areas of potential conflict. That is why the word ““priority”” has been included in my amendment. Surely those who have those grazing rights and make a living out of grazing common land ought to be able at least to pursue their main functions and not be overridden by issues that may jeopardise their living. Some of those issues are of prime importance in rural areas, where wages are low, the average age of farmers is now almost 60 and depopulation of young people is taking place. Do we want the people who are managing the land and making a living from it to become a rare species, as they almost are at present? There are huge sociological issues here that need to be taken into account. I can therefore easily justify the wording of my amendment. I thank the Minister for tabling Amendment No. 71 about archaeology. That is of great importance. I was very interested in the comments of my friend, the noble Lord, Lord Williams of Elvel, about the National Assembly for Wales, its potential influence and the proprieties of the devolution settlement, such as it is in Wales. It should be a primary consideration. I am glad that the Minister has acknowledged that this is a very important issue and that he will give us further information on it. Certainly I, for one, would have preferred to see a Welsh commons Act. Indeed, the Minister may remember that during our previous Committee session I proposed that there should be a Welsh commons commissioner because nearly 10 per cent of Wales is common land. One-third of the constituency that I represented—Brecon and Radnorshire—is common land and in places it goes up to almost 3,000 feet. So this issue is of great importance in Wales and it needs to be treated as such. The noble Baroness, Lady Byford, made some very important points on some of the amendments, and I was particularly interested in what the noble Earl, Lord Peel, said about diversification, low-cost housing and the importance of flexibility. That cannot be underrated at present when the whole question of economic diversification in rural areas is becoming more and more important. With those words, I beg leave to withdraw Amendment No. 63. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. [Amendments Nos. 64 to 70 not moved.]