UK Parliament / Open data

Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill

I support my noble friend Lord Peel in his amendment. We are grateful to the Minister for the introduction of the code of practice which, in many ways, forms his response to the arguments put forward on 5 June in Standing Committee in another place by my honourable friend Jim Paice. It has been suggested that government Amendment No. 283 recognises the concern expressed at the time. We are also interested in the way the Government have followed up the other issue raised at that sitting. In his response to the debate, the Minister, Jim Knight, said:"““Wildlife inspectors have never needed reasonable suspicion of an offence before exercising their enforcement provisions under the 1981 Act””.—[Official Report, Commons Standing Committee A, 5/6/05; col. 218.]" But now a person will be guilty unless he can prove otherwise. Does this not make Amendments Nos. 295 and 296 even more important, and surely they should be included in the Bill?
Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
679 c63 
Session
2005-06
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
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