As my hon.
Friend knows, it is a question of philosophy.
The antiques trade operates in a national and international marketplace and these Bills penalise it in an unreasonable manner. The Opposed Private Bill Committee is not the only body in the House to identify a strong need for public legislation. The issue has been debated elsewhere. A national database is a good idea because it would strengthen our hand in the fight against crime and disorder. The answer to that question is emphatically no and the objection that this is not a suitable topic for local legislation underlies my every objection to the principle of the Bills.